Dog Suicide Bridge Research Paper

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Cate Hillard Beck English April 2nd, 2024 The Mystery of the Overturn Bridge

Why would perfectly happy, healthy dogs leap to their deaths on sharp rocks below a random bridge? Much like the mystery of the Oak Island Money Pit, some mysteries are so tough that they simply cannot be solved, just speculated. However, the history, theories, and why this mystery remains unsolved can be proven. Why are dogs so eager to jump off this bridge? What is going on at the Bridge of Overturn?

The history of the dog suicide bridge is very interesting and can provide insight into what’s going on. In Dumbarton, Scotland lies a beautiful embellished bridge over a 50-foot ravine, perfect for hiking. Dating back to the 1950s, dogs perfectly fine one moment would …show more content…
Many people heard the stories but thought that it was exaggerated or made up, which caused more than 100 dogs to leap to their deaths, and even more to suffer serious injuries. Some dogs would survive the fall just to run up and jump off again. Take Lottie Mackinnon’s border collie, Bonnie. “At first, she froze, but then she became possessed by a strange energy and ran and jumped right off the parapet,” says Lottie. This unsettling mystery has many theories as to why so many dogs leap to their deaths.

Much like the Oak Island Money Pit, many theories surround this mystery. Some theories as to why so many dogs jump off the bridge include a “thin place”, a ghost or phantom haunting the bridge, the architecture of the bridge, and the smell of prey below. A popular theory as to why so many dogs jump is that a ghost is haunting the bridge. In 1862, John Smith hired men to build him a beautiful and ornate bridge. In 1921, John Smith tragically and unexpectedly died leaving his wife, Grace Eliza McClure alone with the bridge. Long after both Grace and John passed away, the dogs started jumping from the bridge. Could a ghost be haunting the bridge, making the dogs leap to their deaths? This is what many people think. The ‘White Lady of Overturn’ is a popular ghost …show more content…
While the theory of dogs jumping to their deaths because of the smell of prey and the unique architecture seems scientific and true, that is not necessarily the case. For one, there are multiple bridges with the same or similar architecture, and the same phenomenon hasn’t occurred. The other theories of ghosts and a ‘thin place’ can’t be proven, so we will never really know! For the final theory, could the dog be committing suicide? While this seems like an obvious one, why would all the dogs start jumping so suddenly? This is not true because suicide in animals is scientifically impossible. Some animals experiencing SIB (self-injurious behavior) might hurt themselves unintentionally to deal with stress or fear, but generally, animal suicide never occurs unless it is for their offspring. In conclusion, this mystery remains unsolved, even after years of theories.

The mystery of the Dog Suicide Bridge hasn’t been solved, and may never be. The history, theories, and why this mystery remains unsolved can only be studied to figure out what’s going on. Will we ever know what goes through the dogs’ minds at the Bridge of Overturn? Why do they jump in? We can only guess what
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