Ash-Shaykh Bin Baaz, rahimahullah, was asked the following question,

س: بعض الناس يقول الحيوانات ما لها عقل؟

Question: Some people say that animals don’t have a intellect?

الشيخ: عقل يليق بها، لها عقول تليق بها، العقل البهيمي يليق به، يعقل يشرب يأكل ويسافد وهكذا.

Answer:

“They have a intellect according to what suits them as animals, an intellect which they drink by, eat by, mate by and so on.” End translation. [Reference]

In other words, they don’t have a intellect like the intellect of human beings. For that reason, they aren’t held responsible like humans are held responsible for their actions.

Translated and mentioned by

AbdulFattaah Bin Uthman
Abu Fajr