"The behavior of animals is predictable and can be explained...

"The behavior of animals is predictable and can be explained through genetic and environmental factors, leaving no room for free will.". This is a common statement that we encounter.

What the author said is that the same applies to humans.

We can see what years of conditioning can do by looking at what is happening in this forum, an echo chamber for certain cultural beliefs, texts, prophecies and revelations of one kind or another with an extraordinary inability to go beyond that, showing that religion is a geographic phenomenon with the believer's choice determined by environmental factors and an underlaying biologic predisposition.

Speaking about animals. It seems that animals also do have free will.

"One theory that supports animal free will is the idea of “neurophenomenology,” which suggests that consciousness arises from the interaction between an organism’s brain and its environment. This theory suggests that animals, like humans, have subjective experiences that influence their behavior and decision-making...."

"In conclusion, the question of whether animals have free will is a complex and intriguing one. While there is evidence both for and against animal free will, it is clear that animals are capable of making choices and behaving autonomously. This has important implications for the field of animal behavior and cognition research, as well as for animal welfare Ethical considerations are particularly relevant in this context. If animals do possess free will, then it follows that they should be treated with respect and given the opportunity to act on their own accord. This has implications for how we keep and care for animals in captivity, as well as for how we interact with them in the wild.

Do Animals Have Free Will? (10hunting.com)