It depends on one’s understanding of the word “love”. If by love you mean “affection”, then a resounding “yes”. But if one understands the true nature of love, that it is an action and not a feeling, then the question becomes more complicated.
It is quite possible to act lovingly towards a pet, to take good care of a pet the way one loves a garden and takes care of it, or loves a firearm and keeps it clean and oiled. But if the discussion is about the true meaning of love, then no, one cannot love an animal.
True love entails extending one’s ego boundaries in an effort to affect spiritual growth in one’s self or another. Animals are incapable of spiritual growth, and are therefore incapable of giving or receiving true love. They can certainly exhibit affection and loyalty, but that is not the same thing as love.
What most people feel towards their pets is affection. To equate a pet to a human being, let alone a child, is to engage in infantile anthropomorphistic fantasy.
I understand all of this, and yet I have still felt grief and shed tears over the loss of a beloved dog.
“True love entails extending one’s ego boundaries in an effort to affect spiritual growth in one’s self or another.”
I would probably disagree, if I had any idea of what that means...