Over the past 50 years, about 50 dogs have jumped to their deaths from the exact same spot on the 100-year-old Overtoun Bridge in Milton, near Dumbarton, Scotland.
What gives?
Almost all the incidents have taken place on clear, sunny days and the dogs always being long-nosed breeds – collies, retrievers and labs. The canine suicide spot is located between the last two parapets on the right-hand side of the bridge.
Celtic mythology has an explanation but it won't be satisfying to a science audience - that Overtoun is a ‘thin place’, an area where heaven and Earth are at their closest. Since dogs are more sensitive than humans, they are believed to pick up the vibrations more easily, leading to their strange behavior.
So if you are in Milton and off for a leisurely stroll over the bridge with your best friend, stay on the left - and keep him on a leash.
What gives?
Almost all the incidents have taken place on clear, sunny days and the dogs always being long-nosed breeds – collies, retrievers and labs. The canine suicide spot is located between the last two parapets on the right-hand side of the bridge.
Celtic mythology has an explanation but it won't be satisfying to a science audience - that Overtoun is a ‘thin place’, an area where heaven and Earth are at their closest. Since dogs are more sensitive than humans, they are believed to pick up the vibrations more easily, leading to their strange behavior.
So if you are in Milton and off for a leisurely stroll over the bridge with your best friend, stay on the left - and keep him on a leash.
http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4320