Over the past 5 decades more than fifty dogs have jumped to their deaths from Overtoun Bridge, near Dumbarton, in Scotland. An incredible statistic, but one made more impressive by the detail, which gives this tale substance: all of the deaths occurred at the same spot, on the right-hand side of the bridge; the dogs were all long muzzle breeds: Collie, Labrador, Greyhound; their deaths all took place on clear days.

The frequency and inexplicable nature of the deaths has lead to this scenic location, to be called the “Dog’s Suicide Bridge.” Over 6 months in 2005, 5 dogs leapt to their deaths. One bereaved owner, Donna Cooper was out walking with her family when her dog, Ben leapt over the parapet and fell fifty feet onto the rocks below.

‘His paw was broken, his jaw was broken and his back was broken and badly twisted. The vet decided it wasn’t worth putting him through the pain, so we had to let him go,’ recalls Donna.

Such tragedies led to claims the bridge was haunted by an evil spirit. In 1994, thirty-two-year-old Kevin Moy threw his baby off the bridge after claiming he was the Anti-Christ, and his son was Satan. Shortly after he tried to end his own life with an unsuccessful suicide attempt from the same bridge. Moy was remanded to Carstairs State Hospital, a maximum-security psychiatric facility.

This being Scotland, there has also been a claim that the bridge is situated in, what we Celts call, a “thin place” - a meeting of two worlds. Cue mist, howl of wolf, and craggy featured old Scotsman saying, “Ye dinnae want tae go doun yon road, naw.” Indeed, B-movies have been made with flimsier plots.

In recent years, a more persistent but equally unlikely theory has emerged, which suggested dogs were committing suicide. But as leading Animal Behaviorist, Dr David Sands, who investigated the story has pointed out, “it is impossible for a dog to premeditate its own death”.

Sands uncovered the most likely explanation to the dog deaths, the onset of mink farming in the area, which started fifty years ago:

Evidence of mink was confirmed in the area not only by a naturalist, who spotted droppings beneath the bridge, but also by [an angler], who explained that the top hill quarry had lakes that contained trout (perfect mink diet).

The intense scent of mink aroused each dog’s curiosity, leading to the fatal leap of faith.
 

 
With thanks to Tara McGinley
 

 
Redditor gweebah posted this photo of a dog (at least I think it’s a dog) sticking its head out of a car window.

As Redditor theropod points out “Looks like Chewbacca if he stuck his head out of the Millennium Falcon’s window…”

Indeed it does.

Via reddit

 
Some witless asshole dropped off his male pitbull/American bulldog mix at the Jackson Rabies Control Animal Shelter in Tennessee yesterday because he deemed his dog as “gay” for mounting another male dog (by that criteria ALL dogs would be “gay”!). Apparently the fucking idiot owner didn’t want a “gay dog.” The pooch, who displayed no signs of aggression, was scheduled to be euthanized today at 1pm!

Good news, though, a kind soul on Facebook who goes by the name “Jackson TN Euthanasia,” shared the hell out of this poor pup’s story and photo and got this doggie a new home. The dog was lucky, but the old owner will probably always be stupid.

Via BuzzFeed

 
Cute dog.
 
Via bt3a and imgur
 

 
As a dog-lover, I’m rather taken with these incredibly realistic, oversized, dog-face T-shirts made by The Mountain.

I wonder if they can make T-shirts from a photo of your favorite pooch? And if they have any with Muttley?
 

 

 
More giant mutts, after the jump…
 
Via blessthisstuff with thanks to Clyde Lawson
 

 
DEVO’s new song ‘Don’t Roof Rack Me, Bro!  (Seamus Unleashed)’ hilariously mocks Mitt Romney for strapping his dog Seamus onto the roof of his car in 1983.

DEVO’s Gerald Casale, who has also spearheaded the “Remember Seamus” Facebook group and supports the popular Dogs Against Romney website, told Rolling Stone:

“This isn’t a red-state thing or Devo stumping for Obama,” he says. “But I think any animal lover that hears the story will learn so much about the character flaw of Romney. It’s just a deal-breaker about the man. My God, the world is a scary place with seven billion people. What you want in a leader is a guy with some humanity at his core. I just don’t feel that Mitt does.”

In 2008, Devo did a fundraising show for President Obama in their hometown of Akron. Does Casale approve of his job performance over the past three-and-a-half years? “No!” he says. “Absolutely not. Devo are not naive people. If anyone still thinks that the President of the United States of America runs things, they really live in the Wizard of Oz-land. My God, we’re a plutocracy. We’re owned and leveraged by global corporations.”

Dogs Against Romney have this one yard sign that I really like.

Listen to DEVO’s “Don’t Roof Rack Me, Bro!” below:

 

 
PS The GOP have a “Contact Us” form on their website. “Seamlus Taxdodger” (that would be uh… me, a “disgusted former GOP voter”) just left them a comment. Maybe you’d want to leave them a message, too?

 
It doesn’t say if the masturbator was also fed mushrooms. Or if he continued masturbating. Either way, it all sounds very John Waters.

Thanks Boag!
 

 
Amusing photo of Redditor panpanpanda‘s dog, Momo, dressed as an Ewok.

It appears little Momo has been dipping into the “secret stash” if you catch my drift.

Click here to see larger image.

Via reddit

 
Even though the above photo of Kabang the hero dog from the Phillipines is grotesque, this is actually a moving and heartwarming story of what our canine friends are willing to sacrifice for us when faced with danger. From Inquirer News:

Cousins Dina Bunggal, 11, and Princess Diansing, 3, were walking across Nuñez Extension on Dec. 14 not knowing that a speeding motorcycle was bearing down on them. At the crucial moment, Kabang, the Bunggal family’s dog, emerged from nowhere and jumped into the motorcycle’s path.

The cousins stumbled but were otherwise unharmed. The motorcycle driver, likewise unharmed, took them to hospital for treatment of their bruises.

Eyewitness Jovito Urpiano said Kabang (a Visayan term that means “spotty”) shielded the two girls from certain harm.

Urpiano was in an eatery on his noontime break from driving a tricycle and saw how Kabang stopped the motorcycle from hitting the girls. The dog’s head landed directly on the motorcycle’s front wheel, and as it rolled, her snout got stuck in it.

“I thought somebody threw the dog on the motorcycle, but I could not see anyone who might have done that,” Urpiano told the Inquirer. He said it later came to him that Kabang had intentionally blocked the motorcycle’s path to save the girls.

According to the article Kabang showed up at the family’s home two-weeks after the incident with a mutilated face. The Bunggal family say:

It does not matter if she’s ugly now. What is important to us is she saved our children and we cannot thank her enough for that.

Kabang is being treated with antibiotics, eats with her paws and is apparently back to her fun-loving old self. She is also expecting puppies. 

Via Arbroath

 
Redditor livejamie posted the above pic of his friend’s dog and noted how creepy its shadow looked. What followed was other Redditors posting photos of their dogs’ shadows and noticing the same freaky phenomenon.

There really needs to be a coffee table book dedicated to scary-ass dog shadows.
 

Photo by Redditor morriscode.

Previously on Dangerous Minds:
Photos of Dogs Underwater

 
Lifestyle pet photographer, Seth Casteel, captured these amazing images of dogs fetching their toys underwater. I can’t get over how the water transforms, what is probably a sweet pooch’s face, into something so ferocious and shark-like.

Seth should photograph our dog, Tong Tong in a parody of the Nirvana album cover…

Prints are available for purchase at Little Friends Lifestyle Pet Photography website. 
 

 
More after the jump…

 
For America, the misunderstanding was over the lyrics. Gilbert O’Sullivan’s “Get Down” was assumed to be a nudge-nudge reference to oral sex, tied-in, perhaps, to the coincidental release of sex film, Deep Throat.

A surprised O’Sullivan explained his lyrics were:

‘...very British and to me the girl in “Get Down” is behaving like a dog - she’s jumping up on him, so “get down!”’

That’s his story, and he’s, you know. Though he did admit, if it had been about oral pleasures, then:

‘...we should sell 10 million and put it on the soundtrack of Deep Throat.’

Top of the Pops resident dance troupe, Pan’s People understood the song perfectly and reflected it in their innocent interpretation. With such a literal approach, the mind boggles how the girls would have choreographed the song if it had been about blow jobs.
 

 
Previously on Dangerous Minds

Pan’s People interpret Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett’s ‘Monster Mash’ from 1973

Pan’s People: ‘Top of the Pops’ Legendary Dance Troupe

 
With thanks to Alison Wallace
 

 
The Dogs of OWS.
 

 

 

 
More campaigning canines, after the jump…
 
Via Damn Cool Pictures
 

 
In The Cat Inside William Burroughs paid a great compliment to his favorite animals:

“My relationships with my cats has saved me from a deadly, pervasive ignorance.”

Now, isn’t that a true thing? That our relationship with animals can have such a benevolent influence. I’m spending the week looking after a friend’s dog (a cute, wee strawberry-blonde, Lakeland Terrier), who has, over the years, taught me much about myself, for which I will always be grateful.

In thanks for that, here is a small selection of some interesting people and their lovely animal companions.
 

James Dean and his cat, Marcus, a gift from Elizabeth Taylor, who took custody of Marcus after Dean’s death.
 

Frank Sinatra and Ringo.
 
More animal pics, after the jump…
 

 
The money shot comes at the very end.

 
(via Arbroath)