Does Comm Link have to stay "in play" to use Animal Companion?

[Michael]

To put the Animal Companion Special card in play you must first have the Comm Link Special card in play. To continue using the Animal Companion to increase Attack and Resist values the Comm Link must REMAIN in play.

If you use Comm Link to take a point of damage and remove it from in play you may no longer count the Animal Companion cards stats. At this point it only counts towards the number of Instants you may play and is another point of damage if requried.

As such, there is no advantage to removing the Comm Link before the Animal Companion as the results are the same.

Michael