Overtown Bridge is known worldwide as the site of mass dog suicide. Scientists are still arguing whether the animal, for some reason, can voluntarily give up its life, but the fact is that over the history of this bridge, hundreds of dogs rushed down from it onto stones from a 15-meter height and crashed to death.
The mysterious bridge that kills dogs is located near the village of Milton (Scotland). Next to it is the Overtown Mansion, built in 1859-1862 by James White. After the construction of the mansion was completed, White moved into it along with his entire family.
In 1884, the White couple died, and their son James came into possession of the mansion, who sought to multiply the inheritance.
After negotiations with the local pastor, the territory of the estate was significantly increased at the expense of the possessions of the local church community. However, White's heirs had one problem that needed to be urgently addressed: the old and new possessions were separated by a river with a small waterfall. It was decided to build an arched bridge, which after the completion of construction began to be called (after the name of the mansion) Overtown Bridge.
For a long period this bridge did not differ in anything special, but, starting from the middle of the XX century, for some unknown reason, it became fatal to dogs. Every month, on the same day, running across the bridge, the four-legged friends of a man unexpectedly jump down from a 15-meter height and break on stones. Amazingly, those animals who managed to survive at the same time again climb onto the bridge in order to throw themselves down again.
In this case, the dogs for their fatal leap for some reason choose the same place - between the last two flights on the right side of the bridge. Some people think that there are “smart” and “stupid” dog breeds, and so, both of them jump from this bridge.
Why do dogs commit suicide that pushes them to such a reckless act? Until now, there is no single answer to this question. The study of the mysterious phenomenon of the Overtone Bridge was carried out not only by veterinarians, specialists in anomalous phenomena, but also by the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Promotional video:
Alas, it was not possible to solve the mystery of the phenomenon. While there are only a few versions, some of them seem quite fantastic.
Perhaps one of the simplest versions has been put forward by zoologists. In their opinion, the reason that makes dogs jump from a bridge is hunting instinct. The fine scent of dogs picks up the smell of minks and rats living under the bridge, the animal jumps on the handrails, does not hold itself back and falls down.
This version is extremely simple, it is recorded in the official report, but it hardly explains the fact that the surviving and crippled dogs, who have already fallen from the bridge, are again climbing onto the bridge and throwing themselves down again. If their hunting instinct led them to the fatal jump, it would be more logical to assume that the surviving dogs should look for the same burrows and rats under the bridge, and not try again to repeat the fatal jump.
According to local residents, a ghost makes the dogs jump from the bridge. There is a legend that once from this bridge, a father threw his newborn child down on the stones. To commit such a monstrous act, he was forced by the conviction that the devil had allegedly taken possession of the baby. Since then, the restless soul of a child has been hovering in this place, on the day of the murder, the ghost of the baby plays with the dogs, provoking them to jump from the bridge.
According to another version of this legend, two ghosts - a child and his father - contribute to the jumping of dogs from the bridge. The baby's father, realizing that he had killed an innocent child, rushed after him, crashing to death. It is these two ghosts - the child and his father - that make the dogs make fatal leaps.
Perhaps the dogs somehow sense ghosts and rush to help the "people" in the water. By the way, local residents are very wary of this bridge, considering it cursed and preferring to bypass the place where it stands.
Both psychics and many dog lovers disagree with this version. In their opinion, dogs are able to see otherworldly entities and are very negatively disposed towards them, some bark at them, others run away with their tail between their legs. It is unlikely that animals will instantly jump from the bridge when a ghost or ghosts appear.
EVERYTHING HAPPENS ON THE BORDER OF WORLDS …
Another version is that the bridge is a border between two worlds - ours and the other world. Dogs, unexpectedly bumping into this border, begin to move along it, trying to find a passage, and fall from the bridge. According to another interpretation of this version, dogs walk along the border of the worlds because of their excessive curiosity.
It is also believed that on the bridge there may be a portal to a parallel world. When it opens once a month, dogs, sensing something alien to our world, try to examine it with a fatal outcome.
Well, according to the most mystical version, a small river flowing under the bridge is an anomalous zone, the water in which is "fed" by the blood of crashed dogs. This blood is a kind of "key" that opens a portal between parallel worlds.
Alas, the ominous secret of the Overtone Bridge, which kills dogs, has not yet been revealed. Dogs still jump from the bridge, but people and other living things pass it without any consequences. It is estimated that the Overtown Bridge killed more than 600 dogs. A warning sign has been hanging on this mysterious bridge for a long time, on which it is written: "Keep the dogs on a leash."