<snip>
Of course you have to take anything Verant says with a grain of salt,
so you may want to keep your cha high, but in my exp with my low cha
halfling(50 cha) if the charm sticks it can last as long as someone
with a real high cha.
</snip>

Heh. My 1st Druid was a Halfling on Bertoxx. When I cast the 14th
level charm animal spell (I was 17th) for the 1st time, I cast on a
very green puma to test it out. It lasted long enough for me to sit
down. I had base charisma at the time. Later, after getting a Crude
Stein, (2) +7 Cha bracelets, and the GOOD Halfling-only Raider cap
(+10 Cha) I tried again at 19th level (Cha was 104 this time as I put
points into cha at creation) while in NK. I cast on a Griffawn (blue)
and it lasted over 90 seconds. I did /pet as you were and it
wandered off. After the "your charm spell has broken" message, I went
out again and cast on another fawn (even) and the same thing happened.

Unless there has been a hidden nerf Charisma does have an effect, in
my experience, or its effect on saves has diminishing returns the
higher it gets. Just like Int of 212 gives 12 extra points of mana,
one for each point over 200. Also keep in mind "Magic Numbers" like
75, 100, 125, 150, 175, and 200. An Erudite Necro with no extra
points in Agi has an AC of 1, but if you put points in Agi and raise
it to 75, that same neco will have an AC of 12 when you appear in
Norrath the first time (no armor or buffs). I know as I tested this
when I heard the rumors about it. What happens to an Agi over 200 I
have no idea.

I love debates. Keep it going! Hehe.

--
Arakine