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I'm happy in my interpretation that the feat will effect the Domain ability, i.e. compensate for the -3 effective Druid level; but would the cleric be able to take the feat at 3rd level or have to wait until 5th? (I can see arguments either way...)
Animal Domain
Granted Powers: You can speak with and befriend animals with ease. In addition, you treat Knowledge (nature) as a class skill.
Speak with Animals (Sp): You can speak with animals, as per the spell, for a number of rounds per day equal to 3 + your cleric level.
Animal Companion (Ex): At 4th level, you gain the service of an animal companion. Your effective druid level for this animal companion is equal to your cleric level – 3. (Druids who take this ability through their nature bond class feature use their druid level – 3 to determine the abilities of their animal companions).
Boon Companion
Your bond with your animal companion or familiar is unusually close.
Prerequisites: Animal companion or familiar class feature.
Benefit: The abilities of your animal companion or familiar are calculated as though your class were 4 levels higher, to a maximum effective druid level equal to your character level. If you have more than one animal companion or familiar, choose one to receive this benefit. If you lose or dismiss an animal companion or familiar that has received this benefit, you may apply this feat to the replacement creature.
Special: You may select this feat more than once. The effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a different animal companion or familiar.
You have to wait level 5 as an Animal Cleric gets the animal companion class feature at level 4. If you want the feat as soon as possible you could retrain the level 3 feat at level 4 if you're willing to spend the gold.