What is the NPC status of intelligent mounts?

[Dr TPK]

I'm the DM. One of the PCs has a giant eagle mount, and the PC has been up to no good lately, quite the opposite. Giant eagles are usually NG. I don't know how much of mounts, they are trained and all, should have opinions about things. How NPC-like should they be?

[Zweisteine]

If it is intelligent (Int > 3), and is not a class feature, it should be an NPC.

If it is unintelligent, it should be an NPC, but act like a (trained) animal of its kind.

[Grek]

Giant Eagles are Int 10. That's as intelligent as you or I. Sure, it's trained but so is the rider. That doesn't mean it's a mindless beast. The real question is this: Is this a free giant eagle, who the party hired on directly, or one that they bought as a slave?

If a free giant eagle has serious qualms about the morality of its rider, it should talk to the person in charge and ask for an explanation of why they're being told to <insert thing the eagle disapproves of here>. It will likely demand to renegotiate its contract, either for compensation or to no longer have to do whatever it is they're upset about.

If the giant eagle is a slave, ask yourself: Why hasn't the eagle tried to escape by now? I mean, it can fly. Presumably, the PCs can't or they wouldn't need to buy flying mounts. If it has some good reason not to try to escape, is what the PC doing so bad that this pushes things over the line where personally keeping the eagle as a slave didn't?

[atemu1234]

Basic rule of thumb:
Sentient = NPC
Nonsentient = Trained Animal.

[Coidzor]

Depends on how much its personal loyalty to the rider overrules its personal morality. And even then it'd probably have some word of warning for the rider.