(meant this to be an edit, but time ran out)

And no, I can't set humans apart from other animals. There's not a single solitary thing that humans do that is different in type (rather than degree) from what some other animal can do. From quasi-religious acts to artwork, toolmaking and use to self awareness, compassion to sadism, war, love, hate, you will find it all in other species. All of it. Perhaps not all of it in the SAME other species (apart from great apes), but you'll find it.
As a psychic--yes, they have souls too. Sorry for the folks who have faiths that say not, but some of us can see them, so it's moot. lol This is partly why there are stories of ghost animals, just as there are of ghost humans.

The reason so many people believe humans are different...pure hubris, and lack of understanding. They overestimate humans (who have and continually act upon their instincts), and underestimate other species (who can sometimes override instincts to gain social favor, just as we sometimes can). Humans are really interesting animals, but they aren't 'better', or 'worse' than other animals. They're just the same.
Humans have managed to do just one thing that impresses me--they are actually striving to protect other species that are imperiled. The basis for this may not be unique, but the application is. It's quite an accomplishment.
You see, with this viewpoint, rather than being upset by all the gnarly things humans are doing to the world, instead we can see that, in comparison with other species, they're not doing so badly. Why do we expect more of them? We should instead be pleasantly surprised when they do something altruistic, plan for the future fully, and behave like the higher creatures they're so convinced they are.