Only some pokemon are animal like. Pokemon like Bidoof, ratatta, and magikarp are more or less animals with little capacity for self awareness. However, there is a largwer population of "great 'mons" that have mental capacities similar to humans, like Gardevoir, Absol, any given legendary, and milotic. Oddly enough, in Diamond and pearl, there is a history section that stated that those pokemon were considered just other people. it even mentions intermarriage. so yeah... I'm surprised there aren't cells of pokemon revolutionaries bombing trade caravans and the like.