Seeing Ourselves in Nature, and Seeing Nature in Ourselves

I'm enjoying the short story Greyhound in the book Among Animals.

I like this quote from the story Greyhound:

She wants to know what to do with herself. She wants to know how to be a dog.

To me, this quote kind of gives the "what does it mean to be alive?" question a more universal appeal. It makes it feel like less of just a human struggle, which I think makes it a little more bearable- knowing that it's not just me and not just humans who aren't sure what "life" or "being [whatever organism]" means.

How else do animals, nature, and humans show similarities?