Right, that makes sense. I guess if something can suffer and notice it's suffering and wish it weren't suffering then it should be as morally valuable as a person...maybe.

But while some level of intelligence does seem to be necessary for an animal to suffer in a way we find morally compelling it does not follow that abusing the slightly less intelligent is at all justified.

I think dogs are "capable of suffering in a way I find morally compelling" though, and I would sacrifice probably a lot of dogs to save myself or another human. Is that just me being heartless?

There are possibly entities that are very intelligent but for which we would have little moral regard.

I mentioned that the hypothetical aliens would have brains that work just like ours, not that they would be just as intelligent.