A-002: Overtoun Bridge Dog Suicides

## Status and Warnings

* Currently considered active.
* Validity unknown.
* if real: Poses significant danger to dogs and possibly humans.
* Content warnings for suicide, murder, death of animals.
* Original article by Jade.

## Description

The Overtoun Bridge is a bridge, going over the Overtoun Burn on the approach road to Overtoun House, near Dumbarton in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. The bridge is about 50 feet (15 meters) above the banks below. It is made out of rough faced ashlar comprises three arches, a large central arch and two more flanking it on either side.

The bridge's anomalous effect takes place when a dog walks across the bridge. The dog in question will feel a strong urge to leap off of the bridge, injuring or killing itself in the process. Claims of supernatural forces causing these dogs to do such are common, and it has become a popular urban legend. Ghosts, spirits, presences, fairies, demons, earth spirits, and many other paranormal explanations are frequently cited.

The current number of dogs that have leaped from this bridge is unknown, but as of 2016, it is estimated that at least 50 dogs have died from jumping from this bridge, with an additional ~600 attempting to jump/jumping and surviving, with injuries.

## History

The construction of the Overtoun Bridge was completed in June of 1895 by landscape architect and civil engineer H. E. Milner.

In October 1994, a 32 year old man named Kevin Moy (who had been diagnosed with depression and CFS, but was otherwise considered mentally sound up until the murder) threw his 2 week old son off of the bridge and then attempted suicide multiple times (via throwing himself over and slashing his wrists) before being arrested, thinking his son was an incarnation of the devil and that he himself was the Antichrist. His son died in the hospital the next day. Kevin Moy was declared not guilty by way of insanity and ordered to be detained in a psychiatric hospital. It is debatable whether this incident is the cause of, result of, or in any way related to this bridge's anomalous effect.

On Monday, June 27th, 2005, at 11:48 pm, a Hidden Glasow user by the name of gap74 (interview possibly pending) appears to be the first to describe the bridge's anomalous effect, saying, "Is that the bridge that dogs were apparently throwing themselves over recently?? Am sure there was a thread about this strange phenomenon somewhere! -Gary". The only response on the thread that seems to directly respond to this post is by user Hollow Horn on Tuesday, June 28, 2005, 12:17 am, saying, "Yes, Labrador's Leap (gif of a giggling emoji)". The thread can be found here.

It received mainstream attention in October of 2006 when the daily mail wrote this article about the phenomena.

## Possible Explanations

* Scent theory: The odors around the bridge (usually specified as male mink urine) attracts the dogs, and they jump to their death chasing it. This was proposed by canine psychologist David Sands and is often used in conjunction with "Optical Illusion Theory". Local hunter John Joyce (who has lived in the area for over 50 years) has openly disagreed with this theory, saying in 2014, "[T]here is no mink around here. I can tell you that with absolute certainty."
* Optical Illusion Theory: Often used in conjunction with "Scent Theory", also proposed by David Sands. The bridge appears to be evenly surrounded by level ground and foliage, which may mask the drop on the other side, especially given a dog's lowered point of view and relatively poor eyesight. This may make the dogs believe they are on one even plane. "Scent Theory" is often cited as the reason why dogs want to jump from the bridge in the first place.