Animals are conscious and should be treated as such

[Monica]

The declaration concludes that "non-human animals have the neuroanatomical, neurochemical, and neurophysiological substrates of conscious states along with the capacity to exhibit intentional behaviors. Consequently, the weight of evidence indicates that humans are not unique in possessing the neurological substrates that generate consciousness. Non-human animals, including all mammals and birds, and many other creatures, including octopuses, also possess these neurological substrates."

What are "nuerological substrates"? Is that akin to saying that we share the same motherboard with animals but we have different software running on our own?

"Different" perhaps as in more complex, more sophisticated, more self-aware, more rational, more reflective, etc.

from wikipedia:

A neural substrate is a term used in neuroscience to indicate a part of the nervous or brain system that underlies a specific behavior or psychological state. Neural is an adjective relating to "a nerve or the nervous system",[1] while a substrate is an "underlying substance or layer".[2]
Some examples are the neural substrates of language acquisition,[3] memory,[4] prediction and reward,[5] facial recognition,[6] envisioning the future,[7] intentional empathy,[8] religious experience,[9] spontaneous musical performance,[10] and anxiety.[11]

Also see related thread, posted above. Animals demonstrate rational thought, planning, execution of plans, and complex, profound emotions.

Apparently we are much more alike than different.