I literally sent you an article with citations, for the idea that ToM in animals is controversial within "science," with some alternate explanations like associative learning, and you're still in the mode of trying to explain it to me, to help me out of my ignorance about it.

Read the article. If nothing else, just read the "History and Development" section where it talks about particular researchers and papers. I get where you're coming from, because it's hard to believe, because most sensible people (probably including pretty much all working vets, yes, or at least I would hope so) understand that animals have a ToM. But within "science," it's considered controversial. I think the question of what the psychology is that leads some people who do science to think that, would be a fascinating question that I don't really have a firm answer for.