Why do you think that animal has no soul?

Guest: Do animals have a soul?
Prabhupada: Certainly. What is the difference between you and animal? Why do you think that it has no soul?
Guest: I don’ t know, I’m asking a question.
Prabhupada: You’re asking, you are answering my question also. Why do think that animal has no soul? First of all answer this. Why do you think like that?
Guest: I didn’t say I think that animals have no soul.
Prabhupada: Animal has soul! Otherwise what is the meaning of passing through the species?
The soul is passing through the species. And human soul is, the consciousness is developed.
Therefore human beings can utilize his consciousness for being freed from this cycle of birth and death. That is the difference. Animal cannot. The animal soul, the consciousness is not developed. Your consciousness is developed. This is the difference between yourself and animal. If you don’t utilize your developed consciousness, to its proper way than you’re also animal. Because you don’t utilize your opportunity. That is being instructed by Prahlada Maharaja to his classfellows. This is the opportunity, kaumara acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha durlabham manusam janma, if you are intelligent immediately begin Krishna consciousness.
Is this very difficult to understand? Do you think that a child’s consciousness and your consciousness is the  same?
So with the development of the body of this child you get a better consciousness. According to different types of bodies the consciousness changes. Consciousness is there but development takes place according to the body.
Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.7.29-31
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
San Francisco, March 15, 1967