The complexity of the WE3 animals is based on their mental acuity and subjective humanity. Through their actions and decisions the reader gains a perspective that only Dr. Berry achieves within the novel; however, that in itself is subjective due to the assumed guilt at the perversion of these creatures. Therefore, one must ask where, as semi-reasoning beings, they should be classified and what rights they should be inherently given (without confusing this as a debate regarding the rights of all sentient beings on Earth).
On pages 66 and 67, the dog-android pauses to extract a man from the wreckage and states “GUD DOG… HELP MAN… GUD DOG?” (p.66). This concern for the life of a human despite the recent attack by humans upon him and the threat of “DEE-COMM-ISH” (p.28) is instrumental in exhibiting their ability to reason and decide a course of action outside of the parameters of battle and self-defence…
However, the details of this reasoning is the what provides much of the conflict concerning their level of danger to society and those around them. The fact that the man was completely severed at the waist would infer that the animals lack the proper ability to reason that would push them to be capable of inclusion back into the world. This level of reasoning keeps them in the limbo between sentience and reason.
Ultimately, they are not able to re-assimilate before destroying the pieces of armor that “defined” them but was not in truth who/what they were. When they determine that the coat is not what makes them (p.106) and remove themselves from it then their existence is rectified internally. As a result, their level of reasoning is convoluted once again. The philosophical point made at this moment is extremely advanced and would not have been guessed based upon the first impression in the laboratory. Is this mental and spiritual growth a factor of the freedom from their predetermined roles with the government? Is it a product of the suits?