Nefesh

Do animals have souls? With the decline of conventional Christian beliefs this question has been looked at again most notably by Andrew Linzey. I am a vegetarian and resile from Christianity now partly due to its relationship with animals. However I'm no follower of Peter Singer and his views as, to me, in some inchoate way, humans still have priority in moral decisions.
As the only "Son of God" Jesus clearly was no vegetarian and therefore as a template is, in this area at least, in my eyes not up to it, to put it in crude terms. However the Old Testament reveals a view where originally predation did not exist and Humans did not kill animals to eat- Adam and Eve were given fruits and plants only. The Fall put paid to that although the original intention echoes throughout the scriptures most notably in Isaiah's lion laying down with the lamb. However the New Covenant of Jesus( in him) does not restore the original vision and therefore as to him claiming to be a divine being( although I would feel this was a later projection tied into later theological difficulties with Pagan Gods being challenged in their status), this is entirely problematic. Perhaps further east should be looked at for more comfort although the attitudes to meat eating are more complex than first realised, even Jain saints ate meat for health reasons when required.
The Old Testament also mentions souls being breathed into all creation by God. The word used is "Nefesh" which, although contested, seems to suggest souls so perhaps we are one after all. Perhaps one day eating meat will be considered as abhorrant as slavery but, with established religions, this will never be.