There are many ways to Speak with animals (for example the spell with that name). When you do...
You can ask questions of and receive answers from animals, but the spell doesn't make them any more friendly than normal. Wary and cunning animals are likely to be terse and evasive, while the more stupid ones make inane comments. If an animal is friendly toward you, it may do some favor or service for you.
However, asking someone (even friendly) for something requires a diplomacy check*, and
You cannot use Diplomacy against a creature that does not understand you or has an Intelligence of 3 or less."
Since even if the target is a very stupid (INT 3) being of your own race who's language you speak you can't convince them of anything using diplomacy, it follows that even if you speak the animals tongue, you can't use diplomacy.
*For example if you are asking a friendly Thrush (CHA 6) for simple aid, would have an AC of 8 (10 from friendly - 2 cha modifier). While that wouldn't be hard to beat untrained and w/o bonuses it wouldn't be hard to fail either...
Now it get's even weirder when thinking about making it more friendly towards you.
Words alone might be meaningless but diplomacy is
"...used to negotiate conflicts by using the proper etiquette and manners suitable to the problem."
This could include actions such as offering food. "I'm your friend, here see, this is food that I'm willing to share with you. Come have it..." - and since diplomacy is a 1 min action it could incorporate letting it smell you, touching it etc. I do that all the time in real life when meeting stranger's animals and roaming cats in the City... Diplomacy also wears off after 1d4 hours unless GM says otherwise so I'd have to upkeep the idea that I'm it's friend...
Anything with enough intelligence (>3) isn't an animal (but a magical beast or other creature)?
So it would seem the only thing it's good for is for receiving information, but only what ever they naturally felt like saying anyways. And for giving simple information (for example "Your owner killed your mom." without rolling anything, and just hoping it'll do something with it.) However Bluff and Intimidate don't mention intelligence.
Does that mean I can lie to get an animal to do stuff, but not tell the truth? Intimidate for temporarily changing it's attitude to friendly, bluff to say "I"m your God. Follow, obey and serve me!" :-D And then (throw a Pokeball or if you don't have any) can you finally use Handle animal to command it around?