Locally, the gentlemen around me probably can answer that question more accurately, but my understanding is no, they are not.
What I'm hearing from those who work with aboriginal women and from aboriginal women themselves--and this also is addressing the question you asked previously--they definitely cultivate an emotional relationship with animals. In that emotional relationship of caring, being responsible, and nurturing are skills that, when blended with vocational training, make one a more employable person and make one successful in their community.