Although animals can’t speak like humans, they do have souls. Srila Prabhupada spoke often of how animals like dogs will squeal, sneeze, bark, cough, shiver, run, and jump, sometimes exhibiting quasi-human traits. It’s also narrated in Krsnadas Kaviraja’s Caitanya Caritamrta how a dog attains liberation. Ahimsa principles promote kindness to all creatures, even ants. The successful film “Babe,” and the classic George Orwell novel, “Animal Farm” used talking, thinking animals to make social and political points. These works were popular not only for their innovative ideas, but also for their ‘realistic’ approaches.