Hi,
The soul is the life principle of a living being. Vegitation has a vegitation soul. Animals have animal souls. But only human beings have immortal souls in that they alone can appreciate who God is and therefore enjoy knowing Him in heaven.
As for animal testing, the Church allows such in the hope of creating new and better means of health treatments for both humans and animals. However, such efforts must be done in the most humane way possible. The causing of pain to animals merely for the cosmetic industry is immoral.
Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.
