Are we talking about animals as lower life forms (even if they are nebulous or energy based) or are we talking about beings with a consciousness/intelligence/sentience/sapience.
In other words, are we talking about a nebulous squirrel or Isabella from TNGs Imaginary Friend?
The former: barely - if at all - sentient. Either way, from a production standpoint, these beings are cheap/easy to produce; from a writer's standpoint, these beings can fit virtually anywhere in the galaxy. Little explanation is required compared to something visceral...something manifestly organic (in the traditional sense).
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