Is animal handling useless?

[Bosh]

When animal handling is a thing that is very easy to get and persists until long rest it sure feels like it.

[Zsrai]

It's good if you don't have the spell or potions, but yeah kind of. Or if you're RPing it works as a counterpart to Speak with Animals.

[AsianGirlLover]

It’s just another flavor of communication

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

I wouldn't say it's useless, because Larian has included specific use cases for it, but you can definitely get by just fine without it...

[DragonMaster]

I've never once used it in all the hours for which I've played the game.

[Dizzy Ladybug]

I kind of thought the same thing. Potions of animal speaking are pretty common. If you keep him in your camp Volo having like 5 for sale every long rest.