Overtoun Bridge, located near Dumbarton, Scotland, has gained a mysterious and unsettling reputation due to the unusually high number of dog deaths that have occurred there since the 1950s. According to local reports, as many as 600 dogs have leapt from the bridge, with around 50 of them dying from the fall.
The strange thing is that most of these incidents seem to occur at the same spot on the bridge, and almost always involve dogs with long snouts, such as Labradors, Collies, and Golden Retrievers. Many of the dogs that survive the fall are said to return to the bridge and attempt to jump again.
Various theories have been proposed to explain this bizarre phenomenon. Some locals believe that the bridge is haunted by the spirit of a grieving widow who allegedly threw herself from the bridge after her husband’s death. Others speculate that the dogs might be attracted to the scent of small animals, such as squirrels or mice, in the underbrush below the bridge.
One of the most plausible explanations, however, involves the presence of a specific type of mink that lives in the area. These animals produce a scent that is known to drive dogs into a frenzy, and it’s possible that the concentration of this scent at that particular spot on the bridge is what’s causing the dogs to suddenly leap over the parapet.
Despite ongoing investigations and numerous theories, the mystery of the Overtoun Bridge dog suicides remains unsolved. The local government has erected signs to warn dog owners of the potential danger, but the strange occurrences continue to this day.