what is the generally accepted christian idea of the 'being' of animals?

Question

do they have souls? do they have afterlives?
where can i find reference in the bible?

Answer 1

They do go to heaven and they do have a soul. Not only is it in the Bible but many people that have died for a long period of time and come back have seen many animals in heaven.

These are only a few that i found.

Revelations
Chapter 6
6:2 And behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow. A crown was given to him, and he came forth conquering, and to conquer.

6:3 When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come!"

6:4 Another came forth, a red horse. To him who sat on it was given power to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another. There was given to him a great sword.

6:5 When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, "Come and see!" And behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a balance in his hand.

6:6 I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, "A choenix of wheat for a denarius, and three choenix of barley for a denarius! Don't damage the oil and the wine!"

6:7 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the fourth living creature saying, "Come and see!"

6:8 And behold, a pale horse, and he who sat on it, his name was Death. Hades followed with him. Authority over one fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword, with famine, with death, and by the wild animals of the earth was given to him.

ROMANS 8:19-21 "the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God."
(KJV).

LUKE 3:6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'" (NKJ)

ACTS 3:21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. (KJV)

REV. 21:5 And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. (KJV)

ECCLESIASTES 3:18 I said in my heart, "Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals”. (NKJ)

ECCLESIASTES 3:19-20 Man's fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath, man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust and to dust all return. (NIV)

LUKE 3:6 "all flesh shall see the salvation of God." (KJV)

PSALM 36:6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgments are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O LORD. (NRS)

GENESIS 1:30 and to every animal of the earth, and to every fowl of the heavens, and to everything that creepeth on the earth, in which is a living soul, every green herb for food. And it was so. (DBY)

Answer 2

animal from animus (latin) = soul
Animals have a soul, it is not the rational soul of human beings but the sensitive soul.
As for reference see Thomas Aquinas'writings.

Answer 3

They're meat, god made them to be eaten and used.

I swear, could that be more obvious? If you wanna be a Christian, read your own bible.