Animals and Morals

Ok, I first have to set everyone straight: I am probably thebiggest animal lover in the world. I do believe that animals are capapble of intelligent thoguht and of loving someone. I also feel that there are instances when animals "know" you and "know" how to make you happy. What I don't believe, however, is that they are capable of metacognition, or of moral thought. They do not reflect upon their actions, and wonder later if they did the right thing. They do what they think of at that moment, and then it's done. It's over, on to the next thing. Saying that they are not capaable of this reflection is not saying that we should love them any less. They are no less to us because of this, if anything, this may be part of why we love them so much. I mean, who doesn't want to spill their secrets to someone who will love them no less, no matter what it is they have done?