Nearly 600 dogs have ‘committed suicide’ by jumping off this bridge in Scotland

There is a mysterious bridge in Scotland, known as the Overtoun Bridge, about twenty miles from Glasgow. This story, first reported by the New York Times, begins in the 1950s. This bridge is regularly used by dog-owners and their dogs. However, once they arrive at a certain spot, the dogs all seem to have the same instinct: that of throwing themselves off the bridge. Some breeds are more inclined to ‘commit suicide,’ such as collies, but also long-nosed dogs.

This bridge is almost 50 feet high, and according to the inhabitants of the city, at least fifty dogs have died because of the fall. A man who had this bad experience told the Daily Mail in 2006 that his Golden Retriever had behaved in this strange way:

I was walking with my girlfriend and our children when suddenly the dog jumped.

How can this phenomenon be explained?

What could make man's best friend want to jump off a bridge? While some people want to believe that this behaviour is linked to a paranormal phenomenon, the more mundane prefer a rational explanation.

For one thing, canines don't commit suicide. Dr. David Sands, an English psychologist, canine behaviourist, and forensic expert, explained in an article published on his clinic’s website ‘that it is impossible for a dog to plan its own death.’

David Sexton, an animal habitat specialist from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, made a discovery: at the foot of the bridge, he noticed traces of mice, squirrels, and mink, and it is the latter which could be at the origin of this dog ‘suicide.’

The smell of mink is extremely strong and attracts dogs’ attention. Their instinct would automatically direct them towards the animal by making them jump off the bridge. So, if you have a four-legged friend and are travelling in Scotland, avoid the Overtoun Bridge, your dog will thank you!