Do vegans really care about animals? Listener question

It always surprises me how some of my vegan friends are offensive towards me as someone who eats meat. Is being Vegan really about the love for animals? Well their offensives can go off the roof. Do they really fight for animal rights or just protect their values? This question came from the conclusion that even the most altruistic act is driven by selfishness to get something for the SELF.  Like my own example of going volunteering to the dog shelters. At one point I saw how doing this is for me to get praise and admiration and has little to do with the stray dogs.