Solomon tells a lazy person to study the ant so that they can be wise (
Proverbs 6:6). So we can indeed learn from animals. The Scriptures say that all life has a soul (
Job 12:10 KJV) and that animals will go to Heaven
(Romans 8:19, 20, 21, 22) (Pay close attention to verse 21). In fact, we are to take care of young birds when their nest has fallen out of a tree (
Deuteronomy 22:6). So we are to love all of God's creatures (whenever possible). For they will be our friends in heaven and in the Eternal New Earth one day. However, that said, man is supposed to have dominion over the animals, though.
For...
God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (
Genesis 1:26). Today, people make animal noises in church as a part of them being led supposedly by God.
People today make animals more important than people (And centered their lives around them instead of God). The Word was made flesh into the flesh of a man and not an animal so as to die for our sins. Although we can learn from animals and we are to love them, they have a lower status than man (And they should never be uplifted above mankind in any way by saying or even implying that they are "smarter or better than us" --- Making them appear more important than man). For man has a liberty in Christ to eat unclean animals under the New Testament. Man has sacrificed animals under the Old Testament as a temporary covering of sin which was a shadow or type of Jesus Christ who would take sin away forever.
Anyways, I say this not to start a debate (obviously) but so as to clarify the truth here in love.