Hi Spunky and welcome to the forums,
You know, but there are a lot of Christians who feel that way about animals, and it's not true. Sure, we have a different position in creation than they do, God created us in His image, and he couldn't find an animal anywhere to be a suitable helper for Adam, so we are created special, but that doesn't mean animals arn't special.
Look at some of these verses which particulary talk about animals
1. God created them, and in Genesis before the Fall, He looked at what He had made and He called it all good and later very good Genesis 1:20,21,22,24-25. 31. Notice the original intention was that all the plants were for food for all living beings. Animals only became food for humans and each other, after the fall.
2. Jesus, in talking to people about the importance of not worrying about things said in Matthew 6:26 "Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow, or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them.
3. In Romans Paul speaks of creation groaning and waiting until it finds it's release once the sons of God are revealed. Creation is in bondage due to man's sin, and it's partially because of this, that you get the responses you have received. God did tell man he had to look after the earth and subdue it.. and this includes the animals. But read Romans 8:20,21,22 and see how creation is groaning.
So, you see, I think we are responsible for the earth and creation. not to worship it, as some religions tend to do, as it is only created matter and is not God, or possess the divine. But, it is there to show us God in all His glory, as Romans 1 tells us. As we see nature, including the animals He has created we see God.
Please keep sending posts Spunky, it is nice to have you on the forum.