[kirklancaster]

'Lola' one of our pedigre Shi Tzus has just given birth to 4 puppies. We have a special 'tent' rigged up for just this occasion and if you go into the room where this is whenever the puppies are quiet and asleep, Lola rushes out to be fussed etc. However, at the slightest whimper from one of the pups, Lola shoots back into the tent to attend to them.

This had me thinking. If this admirable 'mothering' instinct is within dogs and other - so called - 'base' animals, why are there so many cases of human mothers who do not care for their babies and even physically abuse them or allow them to be abused in the most horrific of ways?