Animals are capable of love
and many other human emotions
according to studies
they can feel love, affection, even distress over watching a friend suffer.
Animals are like little people, even ants, if you were born an ant, with such limited awareness, you would act like an ant. If an ant was born as a human, if would have the awareness of a human and act like a human. You and the ant are the same. You both receive sensory input through the hardware available to you. The ants awareness is limited, it does not know human language, or customs, but it knows ant customs, it knows what is right and what is wrong. It can be tricked, it can be fooled, just like you. It can make mistakes, it can become sick, and confused. Just like you. It doesn't have your scope of awareness, it's scope is limited, but it is still just like you. It is humbling to know this, and saddening, but also very freeing.