All mammals have families. Many mammals quarrel with their families. Some wind up as lone wolves, or abandon their birth families to found their own families. But no other mammals are faced with the complex issue of unwanted family ties that can’t be broken.

All too many families experience the frustrations of good old Uncle Joe who comes to every family holiday empty handed, does nothing to help out, drinks too much wine, and spends the evening arguing about politics until midnight. Yet, for most families, the option of telling Joe to stay home is too complex to even consider.

Perhaps just as many agonize over “grown” children who refuse to leave the nest. Unlike birds, who simply give a shove, human parents have a plethora of issues to consider, from finances to psychological readiness to guilt.

Then there are aging parents who, despite their obvious frailty and warnings galore, insist on climbing ladders to change their lightbulbs — and then become dependent for months as their broken hips heal. And aging grandparents who find themselves raising their grandkids as their own children struggle with issues of addiction.

An unfortunate few of us are as unlucky as our current president, Joe Biden, whose son Hunter appears to be engaged in fraud, influence peddling, and possible money-laundering — for starters. Not only is the president a dad with a major family issue on his hands, but he’s confronting an impeachment investigation that will make Hunter a major focus.

The reality is that human beings, alone, are responsible for their parents, children, and, in some cases, extended family — for much, much longer than any other species. Those unbreakable family ties can be invaluable, and often they provide a great deal of joy. But for all too many, family ties are a source of stress, anxiety, and the need for extreme sacrifice of time and money.

Is there a point at which we humans should take a lesson from our mammalian cousins — and begin to loosen or even cut those ties? What is our responsibility to family members whose life choices have caused them to become dependent? Is it always best to step up?