If humans are unique to any degree from all known things which exist it could be just this separateness from godhood. It distances us from other entities on this planet, from the planet itself. Critters are more at one with god and most are probably blessedly unaware of any other option. However, critters do feel emotion and pain and have memory. Elephants examine the bones of their ancestors and remember the lessons of their parents and grandparents.
Great apes carry the bodies of their dead infants and learn to sign to humans.
Dogs mourn the loss of their families, their human ones. Horses, dogs, apes, elephants, they look into our eyes and accept us wholly, our good and our bad. The price of intelligence is high. When we look at a horse, or deal with a horse, we are looking at and dealing with god. This is a concept which most people are either unaware of or forget or deny.