Generally speaking, there is a considerable evidential basis suggesting that only humans are moral agents and capable of exercising and manipulating their  rational agency in morality related situations. It is generally agreed that animals are certainly agents and enjoy  many cognitive attributes of human moral system. As an illustration, higher order primates like apes seem to possess certain cognitive features like sympathy for the others and  social cooperation in reciprocal  interactions.However, it is strongly denied that such animals are capable of thinking in terms normative rules which have a great bearing on moral acts. It seems that only human beings are rational agents largely because of their role in sustaining complex cooperative societies. On this basis, I would like to take side with the philosophers even though ,as you have stated, there are quite a few stories ,especially about dogs and dolphins, which make us believe in animal moral standing as well.

Best regards,

R. Biria 

Thanks so much for your insight, Reza!

I do not know and I think most humans do not know either, whether animals have morals and ethics; but if I consider that higher animals like mammals and even birds and some reptiles, have feelings and consciousness.

Within these feelings and consciousness of nonhuman animals, probably within them, among individuals of the same species in the herds, will have rules of group behavior and "instinctive values," similar to the moral and ethical values of humans ( example: care, feeding and protection between primates, elephants, dolphins, whales, crows, etc.)

Yo no se y creo que la mayoría de los humanos tampoco saben, si los animales tienen moral y ética; pero si considero que los animales superiores como los mamíferos e incluso las aves y algunos reptiles, tienen sentimientos y consciencia.

Dentro de estos sentimientos y consciencia de los animales no humanos, probablemente dentro de ellos, entre los individuos de su misma especie en las manadas, tendrán reglas de comportamiento grupal y "valores instintivos", parecidos a los valores morales y éticos de los humanos (ejemplo: cuidado, alimentación y protección entre primates, elefantes, delfines, ballenas, cuervos, etc)

Although morality is a unique human phenomenon because it includes certain rules, many higher animals behave morally without rules, just instinctively. But is really morality, when a male and female bird naturally takes care of his and her offspring? And why it is not so obvious in humans? Behavior of primates is not just about reciprocity. There are studies about the spontaneous helping that animals provide when they are in need.

Will we call this as a precursor of morality? Or morality does not require higher consciousness and we define it badly?

This idea of René Descartes may be helpful also in the problem of animal morality:

"On the very perfection of animal behavior, we believe they have no free will."

I think that some animals have even a higher form of morality - at least there is no war among animals. And animals are not capitalistic... this means that any cooperation between animals must be based on other standards (morality?)

Best Regards

Andreas

I highly recommend the answer of Mr. Lewis Kausel

Well Prof , "morality " formulation is done by us (smartest of the animal) yet I do believe they do have to some extent .

I had a cat , he would go with visitors till the gate to see them off (I realized it late ) .

Animals possess a sense of morality that allows them to tell the difference between right and wrong, according to a controversial new book. Scientists studying animal behaviour believe they have growing evidence that species ranging from mice to primates are governed by moral codes of conduct in the same way as humans...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/wildlife/5373379/Animals-can-tell-right-from-wrong.html

Animals have a programme to behave, although I see different personalities in animals specifically cats. Mercy is one of the moral in animals to prevent hurting baby born animal. I would say a pro-morals or moral programme than to say Eu-morals which are linked to humans.

Good question

Aly R Abdel-Moemin