What are WE thinking? (About 'What Animals Think')

The TIME magazine (Aug 16, 2010 issue) recently published an article ('What Animals Think'), which talked about how 'studies' have 'now' shown that animals do have a conscience after all. All these studies (after all this time) are still not sure if smaller brained animals have a conscience (example, a spider they claim may just be breathing, reproducing, eating and surviving, without being much conscientious about its surrounding, as it has a small brain). But bigger animals might be smarter than we think.   

The article was no doubt in good taste. But it did not state anything we don't already know. Are there still people ignorant enough to believe that humans are the only ones with a conscience? (If you ask me, I'll say everything but humans have a conscience. Didn't we sell ours to the devil ages back?)

Spend ten minutes with a dog and you'll know he not only feels, he also understands you, much before you can fathom how he could possibly trust you so easily and completely. It really shouldn't take us 'studies' to prove animals think and feel too. That only goes to show our inefficiency in understanding the world around us. 

I am training to be a volunteer at an animal shelter near my town. I recently attended a 'cat orientation' where they taught us basic cat handling techniques. I have never interacted with a cat before and was a little skeptical if I will be able to do this. They introduced us to about 8-10 cats who were waiting to be adopted out of the shelter. Even though I'm a cat novice, it took me minutes to realize that each cat had a personality of its own. While one preferred being petted, another liked to be left alone. If some cats preferred being fed by you, others found a way to convey they were quite content with their morning feed; thank you. Some loved being stroked on their back, while others loved to play scratch. The only common trait was that they were all eager to accept you, and be accepted by you. Without intelligence and the ability to choose, how would each cat be so unique? 

I believe each living thing has intelligence. Perhaps the bigger-brained ones find a way to convey their personalities to us. How can survival instinct exist without a basic level of brain work? I have seen animals being capable of love, forgiveness, companionship, fear, grief, joy, anger, heck- even jealousy. 

To all those needing a study to prove animals can think, you're wasting time trying to prove the obvious.