On the Internet you can often find information about the British Overton Bridge, from which local dogs have been committing suicide for decades. We checked whether this is actually true.

The bridge in question is located in a picturesque area near the town of Dumbarton in central Scotland. The Gothic structure, the central arch of which rises above a 15-meter ravine, appeared here in 1895. For a long time it was considered simply a beautiful landmark, but in the 50s of the last century it acquired a completely different glory. Information was leaked to the media that dozens (according to some sources - hundreds) of dogs jump over the stone fence of the bridge in one jump and very often fall to their death, in other cases they maim themselves. There are cases where dogs, having survived, made the jump again. Often this happens right in front of the owners.

Some experts link suicidal behavior in dogs (known as "Rover hopping" after a popular pet name) to the mental state of their owners. In particular, the popular British parapsychologist Rupert Sheldrake believesthat animals have psychic abilities and pick up certain signals from people, bolstering their theory with the fact that economically backward Dumbarton regularly ranks among the most depressing places in the UK.

There are also another paranormal theory, more beautiful. The Overton Bridge was built by order of John White, the owner of the neighboring estate of the same name. In 1908, John died, and his inconsolable widow lived here for 30 years (actually 23) in inconsolable grief, leaving behind a ghost. Local residents still see the figure of a woman in the windows of the mansion and on local paths. According to them, it is on the bridge that the “White Lady of Overton” spends the most time driving dogs into a frenzy. There are real cases as proof. It is known for certain that in 1994, a 32-year-old man threw his child from a bridge, believing that he was the Antichrist. The next day the child died, and the father was declared insane and placed in a hospital.

Finally, representatives of academic science also took up the legend. In 2010, behaviorist David Sands conducted a series of experiments and concluded that dogs definitely do not kill themselves deliberately. In his research, he found that most jumping dogs had a long nose and, accordingly, a particularly keen sense of smell, and therefore the smell of wild animals could be a trigger for them. Sands noted that the bridge's design, with solid, impenetrable, ivy-covered barriers about 1 m high, could confuse the dogs and make them think that there was the same land beyond. Pets simply don't know they are on a bridge. According to the scientist, dogs, cats and other animals, when they are on the verge of death, usually look for a quiet hole or secluded corner, but this is associated with a deterioration in their physical condition. He believes that dogs are unable to plot their own death and therefore it is impossible for them to commit what we humans would call suicide.

Sands' theory was confirmed by David Sexton of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, who discovered habitats of mice, squirrels and minks under the bridge. After this Sands arranged an experiment with the corresponding scents and found that eight out of ten experimental dogs rushed in their direction, many in a rather aggressive manner. Sands' final verdict on all these incidents is therefore "accidental."

Despite its grim reputation, Overton Bridge continues to be a popular place for walking dogs, with many of them not wearing a leash. However, in all likelihood, the desperate jumps of dogs into a ravine are of a rational nature and are not suicide as such.