People attach to animals for different reasons. Some people are great with animals and shy with people, doesn't mean they are bad people or disordered. Some people love their animals because their animals provide them with UNCONDITIONAL love whereas other people are more demanding and judgemental. And then there are people that treat their animals like objects and ornaments rather than interacting with their animals in a genuine loving way.

I have seen people buy VERY expensive horses, that are well trained and all they really want from that horse is for it to win competitions when they get on it to compete. They don't really LOVE the animal or develop a true bond with the animal itself. It's basically there to be USED. This need to win can be strong in some people, it's all they care about and it can be sickening. I've seen weathly people pretty much buy their winning while others work so very hard at training their own horse and really developing a strong loving bond with their horse because of all the time THEY invest verses just handing someone a couple hundred thousand for a horse someone else trained into a la machine to hop in and win competitions with.

So, yes, some people have animals to just use and some really do love them and benefit greatly from the unconditional love an animal can give. Losing an animal one has deeply bonded with like this can be every bit as devastating as losing a family member or a child. Some people get that and some just don't and can actually be cold and critical and down right rude about it.