Helen,

That one has been kicked around a lot.  I honestly don't know other than
God's personal interest in the animal kingdom He made.  If He is watching
the little sparrows, He surely has the whole animal kingdom at heart.  I
personally don't believe they have spirits but I do believe they communicate
with their Creator and I believe He communicates with them.  I have
absolutely no, well, almost no, Biblical evidence for what I just said
either.  I believe they have what I would call a God consciousness of some
type because I am convinced they are aware of their Creator.

Phil.