There has been many occasions where it would have been nice to take control of a pet, much like a wizard can with a familiar for purposes of roleplaying when said character's owner is perhaps not present, indisposed of, dying, unconscious, captured amidst a few of the possible reasons. Say they had instructed the animal to fetch someone, or something.. lets say for example the lassie syndrome. Granted they are not as highly intelligent capable of formulating speech (as a wizards familiar is a magical being not an animal persay) Though a ranger or druid should be able to effectively communicate to their companion(s). These companions while wild in nature are still also quite intelligent as animal instincts would go. How do others feel about it, players, DMs and Devs.. is it too much work and much easier to say PM said players or hopefully catch a DM online at the time to take care of such requests?
As well another question, what is the point of the "special skills" for each animal companion. Are they merely additives to the controller (ie. ranger, wizard, sorcerer, druid?) or are they suppose to be useable features to toggle for the pets somehow? I see little point in effect if a panther who can hide and move silently is always visible.