[Krankor]

Well?

[LongElegantLegs]

Love might be a little strong...I’m very fond of my dogs, but I wouldn’t lay my life down for them.

[thecabal]

Sure

[Blogger]

I adore my pets. Of course we love our animals. Each has a personality, and while not even with humans are members of our family that are missed when they are gone.

[The Future 2012]

I feel like I love my dog sometimes, but it’s definitely not the kind of love for people or God.

[bunkerhill7]

ok I confess - I have slept with 2 of my horses in the same stall.

[granite]

All of God’s creatures, large and small...

[Big Horn]

It has been hard for me to deal with the death of a pet.
When I had to put them down I shed some tears.

[Lockbar]

I love my cats more than I probably would most any people. I'm not afraid to say that. My cats are cool, are my family, and won't do me wrong.

[Arizona Carolyn]

yes........ and when we lose one of them, as we inevitably will, it breaks your heart and leaves a huge void in your heart.

[NavyCanDo]

I think you better narrow it down to the three types, Eros, Philia, or Agape - and I hope your not refering to the first one.

[kbennkc]

Thread from yesterday .
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011623357_apwabestialityarrest.html?syndication=rss

[Liberty Valance]

Have you thought about piano?

[Joe 6-pack]

"στοργή", or "affection" is the type of love humans (properly) feel for our animals...certainly we ought not feel erotic or romantic love towards them, but affection born of familiarity, definitely.

[Earthdweller]

Well if you call differentiating between the ones we pet and the ones we eat..love, well I guess so.

It's more like a curious, selective infatuation. It's likely directly related to the need the animal has to be near us that draws us to them. It's rather ego driven, I suspect.

[Secret Agent Man]

You ask an obvious question unless you’re asking a perverted question, in which case I have no time for it.

If you haven’t seen people who love their animal as a member of their family you haven’t seen an elderly person all by themselves save their animal. Or countless other ways people end up with animals, taking care of them, being affectionate to them. Grieving when they die, or knowing they have to be put down. The loss is real. We mourn the loss of something that brought so much joy into your life, just by being there, now isn’t there. And we miss it greatly. Most people can’t do that. It is a real gift to be able to bring joy to people just by being there.

My animals were all abandoned, some twice. My home is their forever home. They are animal members of the family. They will be defended as family members.

[granite]

[warpsmith]

That would be a 'yes'. Coco, an East Village Maltese.

[bluecollarman]

Yes..his name was Butch. I still miss him. Sorry Chet99, Butch was a pit bull.

[Jay Howard Smith]

Yes ..... Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened .. !

[RegulatorCountry]

That question has been pondered for a very long time, by greater minds than ours.

Soloman, from Ecclesiastes:

For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

So, don't get so bigheaded. Of course we're capable of loving other members of Creation. Our dogs model agape love for us, and we can learn a great deal from them in that regard, imho.