[AlexanderHowl]

Animal Handing specifically assumes animals, which the majority of spirits do not qualify as (though animal spirits may qualify). Now, you could come up with a skill of Spirit Handling, which could be functionally equivalent for non-sapient spirits. In the case of Spirit Handling, it may be a necessary and important skill in some settings with very active spirits, and it would absolutely require Spirit Empathy as a prerequisite.