What is an animal in Islam? What relevance are animals to Muslims?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eltzl4VeC-Q
I want you to see this video, quite interesting. Ignore the homosexual theme for a second. He says that animals do not know what they're doing but how did they survive then? How do they know at all what to do? There are more complex animals in life than just a dog. What about birds, they have to migrate in the winter and things like that. They know what they're doing.

I would like to know, what are animals in Islam. Why did Allah Set create animals which most of us will never see and cannot eat. And how are they relevant in Islam? Must we have animals in Islam?

BQ: I know that having a dog is ha ram. Why? They can be loyal companions and many dog-owners say that they are always there, like a best friend who can't talk. And what if you're blind, and you need a guide dog? Isn't that allowed? If that is, what must they do with the dog? Must new rules be made because the blind person has a dog? If so, what rules are they?

Thanks and Peace.

Every animal serves a purpose.

BQ

I have a dog well it's the family's dog, I recently heard it was a sin, but nowt I can do about it.

Obviously blind people can have them, that's compulsory for em as they have a disability.
It's like an old person not being able to read the prayer properly because they can't bend down easily or something, so they just have to sit down and read.

Having a dog is not ha ram. Many people think that b/c they cannot clean themselves (b/c their animals)
In Islam, you need to stay pure and clean all the time.
If you have a dog that just urinated, and now its sitting on your lap, how are you clean?
Get it?

The Prophet Mohammed said to be kind to animals and not be harsh with them.
Allah will ask us on the day of Judgement why we treated animals harshly, if we do.

Animals were mainly created probably as sources of food.

Allah has created all kinds of birds, insects, beast and vegetarian animals. All creations of Allah are for the benefit of mankind directly or indirectly. From some animals we drink milk, on some we ride for transportation and some we eat for our protein needs. Meat eating animals in jungle are to control population growth of vegetarian animals, birds and insect pollinate fruit trees, insects and worms keep making holes in ground for air to reach in the roots of plants. There are lots of creatures that help ground grow more vegetation as food for vegetarian animals. They all keep balance in ecological system Allah has created that benefits all animals, insects themselves, the ground's ability to produce more food for all animals and humans.

When Muslims slaughter an animal to eat its meat, we start cutting its throat with a prayer "I begin in the name of Allah" and we keep saying Allah is the greatest. We do not waste any part of animal. We eat its head, feet, internal organs, and all its meet. We use its skin to make leather goods.

Animals are made for the benefit of all mankind. We must treat animals with kindness and must feed them fully specially those who work for us. If we do not feed them enough and take more work from them that makes them weak then it is counted against us as mistreatment of animals. If we mistreat Animals, they will complain against us to God on the day of judgment and we can be punished by God being cruel to animals.