Secular Humanism and Attitudes toward Animals

The mention of Secular Humanism when discussing 'Dennis Prager's question about saving the stranger or your dog' inspired me to go look up more about this philosophy.

There is a "Council for Secular Humanism" and I found an article on their site: secular humanism on animal rights.

Certainly we established that animals have souls. Animals are important to our world and our survival ( insects too - and don't kill insects on Shabbat).

Are animals equal to humans?
What is it that raises humans above animals?

It is our ethical notion that makes humans different. The Jewish view is that humans need to be protectors of animals. However there is a hierarchy that brings humans above animals based on our wisdom and ethical values. Our ethical training should make us respond to situations with the knowledge that we must take care of the animals and yet know that human life is more important.

Secular Humanism according to Wikipedia:
is a humanist philosophy that upholds reason, ethics, and justice and specifically rejects rituals and ceremonies as a means to affirm a life stance. The term was coined in the 20th century to make a clear distinction from "religious humanism". A perhaps less confrontational synonym is scientific humanism, which the biologist Edward O. Wilson claimed to be "the only worldview compatible with science's growing knowledge of the real world and the laws of nature".

wikipedia has some good basic information about this philosophy..