Hi Trofimus, @oldethennew mentioned the most important distinction I think, that mankind was made in God's image.
This verse comes to mind as something interesting to consider (here St. Peter compares false prophets to brute beasts).
........2 Peter 2
........12 These men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct,
........born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish.
So man was created to be a creature of reason, like God, not simply one whose existence/thinking is based solely upon instinct/feelings/desires, like that of an animal.
I think the statement that, "beasts ... perish", supports @notuptome's thought that animals, while alive, do not have eternal souls (though admittedly, this is hardly a didactic teaching on the subject).
~Deut
................Psalm 49
................20 Man in his pomp, yet without understanding,
................Is like the beasts that perish.
Amen, brute beast are used in ceremonial laws as unclean animals to represent unconverted natural man .They are used to preach the gospel of Christ in respect to the suffering of Christ beforehand and the glory that followed the first resurrection of the saints who were waiting in the bosom of Abraham ( the invisible presence of God), waiting for Christ to say; "it is finished" . Their graves were opened and their new born again spirits entered into the many mansions that Christ had finished building (the city of Christ in respect to His bride the church ) . We look back to the suffering of Christ by the Spirit of Christ
that lived in them they looked ahead to the cross.
Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner
of time the Spirit of Christ
which was in them did signify, when
it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 1 Peter1:9- 11
Many today say the saints did not have the Holy Spirit until the day of Pentecost .We have received the end of our faith (the salvation of our souls as that which comes from hearing God just as they did .
The manner of time the reformation. When the shadows of those ceremonial ,laws used as parables became the substance.
In effect mankind was deceived by a brute beast which no one know how that creature looked before the fall. Some say the most beautiful of all the beast of the field, its legs were removed so that it could eat dust of the field as a serpent used to identify false prophet's, false apostles as those sent by God as those lame .( no walking by faith )
God did not send a serpent. He wanted them to trust him not seen... walking by faith through his eternal word .
You could say he sent an Ass to represent God can bring the gospel even through one who believes
not God... to show he is not served by human hands. He is the God of no needs as one that satisfies all needs. Like that of salvation
He will not share that unseen glory with men. Like the person in Mathew 7 who did do many wonderful works having it in respect to his own self as a worker of inequity, usurping the authority of God as if it was a sign to men seen, and not God not seen,. Christ did not say he did not perform those wonderful works just who they were in respect to.
Exodus 13:12-14 That thou shalt set apart unto the Lord all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the Lord's.And
every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and
if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt
break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem. And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:
Numbers 22:27-29 And when the
ass saw the angel of the Lord, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. And
the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam,
What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast
mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill
thee. 
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