The truly important attitude we are to have towards nature, is that it is not to be worshipped. It is part of created matter, and therefore, anytime we exalt it to a place which is above God in our hearts, soul mind and strength, we make an idol of it.
Nature is a part of God's creation. How close to humans it is, I truly have no idea. Parts of nature like rivers, lions and lambs and trees are mentioned in Revelation and other books discussing heaven and the new heaven and the new earth.
What is definite, is that God uses animals to bring glory to Himself (Romans 1) and even to tell his will, as He did with Balaam and the donkey in Numbers 22. That man has a soul and a spirit, is definite, but nowhere is the same spoken of in relation to animals. God is their Creator and they have His creative imprint on them, so hence the wonder of them when you truly look at them, but they do not have the image of God stamped in them as humans do.
No matter how you feel about animals, God's creative order is Himself, Angels, Man and then other created beings such as the animals. Now, Angels are subject to God, and God uses Angels as ministering spirits. Demons also fall into this category as they are fallen angels. We are told never to worship them.
Humans are subject to God, and we are told to worship Him alone. We have been told to work the earth and make it productive, to till it and cause it to provide us with our food. We have been told to subdue it. Yet as I said earlier, if we make it our focus, then we worship it. (just like we can worship any created thing if we make it our focus ahead of God in our lives).
Spunky, focus on how much God loves you. When the pain of the way people have treated you becomes too much to bear, then don't turn to animals for comfort. All creation will let you down in one way or another. Only God Himself can provide you with the comfort and the strength you need to feel secure and safe. Let God become to you, what the animals are to you now and know that He will never do anything to harm you or to hurt you. Healing can only come as you focus on your loving heavenly Father. He may use nature, or friends or anything to bring the physical, tangible expression of his love to you, but it's just that.. a token of his love. Delight yourself in Him and see how all your other questions will begin to fall into place and be answered.