That being the case, as sapient beings, we are bound with responsibility to respect the creatures that are "below" us. If we are talking about biblical standpoints here, we were given the responsibility to care for and protect this world and its creatures in a compassionate manner (even if we have to kill a non-sapient creature, respect is still due. Why do you think people of biblical times had prayerful ceremonies of thanks before sacrificing an animal or using a dead animal to fulfill basic human needs?) .

From a non-biblical standpoint, as sapient beings, it is our responsibility to willfully refrain from causing pain or harm to non-sapient creatures, regardless of whether they have "rights" or not. "With great power comes great responsibility;" it's not about whether the animal has rights (which I personally beleive they do), but about human responsibility and basic respect of life- ours or otherwise.