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In Yona 3:7-8 we find that the people of Ninveh included the animals in their teshuva process. Why make the animals fast and don sackcloth? How was this part of the teshuva process?

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Why was this downvoted? Seems like a legitimate question to me. –  Daniel Aug 23 '12 at 18:21

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It may refer to the people who are like animals because they don't recognize Who created them (see Rashi to 4:11).

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The animals may have been involved in sin such as gilui arayot and avodah zara so although they must have been induced in doing sin, and were probabaly surrounded by sin, they too were made to repent. Their owners who helped commit the sins repented and made their animals fast too. BTW: It is interesting that Hashem argues with Yona about having pity on the people and the animals.

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Animals doing Avoda Zara? –  Shmuel Brin Oct 7 '13 at 21:01
they can be made to perform acts for the service of idolotry. just like when an animal gores a person, and the person dies, the animal is put to death. –  alice fine Oct 11 '13 at 5:01

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