By Scott Marcano
Ghost stories are hardly rare, but stories of true haunting always seem to involve humans. What about our dearly departed animal friends? Is it possible for pets to return as ghosts to help or haunt owners? And would you be more or less freaked out if you saw the ghost of a cat than that of a human? Or a pet snake? Yes, ghost pets are a bizarre proposition. Though perhaps not as bizarre as keeping a ghost as a pet.
Anyway, while some may scoff at the notion of animal spirits visiting us, stories of pet hauntings are widespread and, in some cases, the stuff of legend. Perhaps it’s the unique bond animals have with humans that makes this type of supernatural encounter possible. Whatever the reason, these intriguing stories of pet haunting range from the heartwarming to the truly terrifying.
All the stories of this list will leave you wondering if the bump you heard in the middle of the night was a furry friend paying you a visit from beyond…
Preston, Ghost Dog Protector of Nashville Trick-or-Treaters
Photo: Artist Unknown/Public Domain
The pooch who haunts Nashville’s Belmont Hillsboro neighborhood is one of the most famous ghost dogs around.The spirit is said to be that of a good-hearted Boxer named Preston who keeps vigil over young trick-or-treaters every Halloween.
Some witnesses have heard barking on Halloween night. Others say if you walk too slowly, or stop in the middle of the street, an unseen dog will bump and nudge you along, so you don’t get hit by a car. An old woman who lived in the neighborhood used to leave a dog biscuit for Preston on her porch every Halloween night for many years beginning in 1962.
Demon Cat of the Capitol
Photo: Édouard Manet/Public Domain
The United States Capitol building is said to be haunted by the ghost of a cat known by some as Demon Cat. The demonic kitty is said to have glowing red eyes and appears out of nowhere to scare the living hair balls out of people.
The legend of Demon Cat dates to the days when cats were brought into basement tunnels of the Capitol to kill rats. The vile feline is one of these rat killers, or so the story goes. Some say Demon Cat appears before important events or natural disasters. It was seen before the stock market crash of 1929, and the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963.
The Washington DC roller derby team The Demon Cats is named after the satanic kitty.
The Black Dog of Connecticut Will Kill You
Photo: Christophe Huet/Public Domain
The Black Dog hangs around Castle Craig in Connecticut, where it has terrorized hikers and castle visitors for decades. Described as small, short-haired, and spaniel-like, the Black Dog makes no sound, even when it seems to be howling or barking. The spectral pooch comes with its own folklore: “If a man shall meet the Black Dog once, it shall be for joy; and if twice, it shall be for sorrow; and the third time, he shall die.”
Numerous people blame the animal for the deaths of those who saw the dog three times, and tales of such deaths date back to the 1800s.
Stitch rising to #3The Greatest Fictional Pets You Wish You Could Actually Own
Wiggie, Who Sensed Asbestos from Beyond
Photo: Hans Adamy/GNU Free Documentation License
This strange encounter occurred after nursery school teacher Debra Tadman’s oldest cat, Wiggie, died. Grief-stricken, Debra called animal communicator Sharon Callaghan to contact the spirit of her lost pet. As Debra recounts: “Wiggie and I had a very close relationship and I felt as if I had lost a child. He had seen me through a marriage, divorce, other relationships, three house moves and other life experiences.”
Sharon was able to reach Wiggie in the great beyond, and told Debra Wiggie was concerned about her apartment, because it was a “toxic place.” About a year later, Debra decided to paint her apartment and discovered asbestos and highly toxic mold in the walls and ceiling and aluminum wiring in grave danger of causing a fire.
Debra is forever grateful to Wiggie: “To this day I can’t believe how accurate and true that reading was.”
There is no way that Sharon, the animal medium, could have known that the asbestos and mold was beneath the walls.
Ghost Hounds and a Creepy Child Haunt Peter Brady
Photo: Gustave Courbet/Public Domain
Actor Christopher Knight tells this strange tale while filming a ghost episode of the The Brady Bunch. The cast was staying at a creepy bed and breakfast and stayed up late telling ghost stories before finally hitting the sack.
According to Knight, who played Peter Brady, he woke up in the middle fo the night to find two hunting dogs sitting at the foot of his bed, staring at him. Then, he saw a little girl gazing at him from the doorway. Neither the dogs nor the girl made a sound.
The next day, when Knight related his strange encounter, the B&B owner took him to a fireplace, where two hunting dogs were depicted on the metal fireguard of the old houses fireplace; they were the same dogs Peter saw.. No one knows if the decorations were inspired by two real dogs who once lived in the house, but the mysterious experience left the young actor shaken.
The Walking Dead rising to #22TV Shows That Only Smart People Appreciate
The Blue Ghost Dog, an Avenging Spirit
Photo: John Wootton/Public Domain
The blue ghost dog legend is one of the oldest ghost stories in the United States, dating to 1770s. As the story goes, Charles Howard Sims was attacked by a pack of thieves after a night of drinking and bragging about the amount of gold he had. Sims fought to his last breath, with his faithful dog, a blue tick hound, battling at his side.
In the end, the robbers was too strong for them, and the two fell on a rock along the road and died. The thieves buried the gold, and when they returned for it were attacked by a large blue tick hound. The head thief escaped, but soon fell ill and died. To this day people say the hound watches over his master’s gold. A restaurant and bar takes its name from the Blue Dog.
The Benign, Creepy Terrier of the Holly Hotel
Photo: J. Langlois/Public Domain
The Historic Holly Hotel is one of the most notorious haunted places in Michigan. World famous Ghost Buster Norman Gauthier, a professor of parapsychology, visited the hotel in 1989 and declared the joint “loaded with spirits.” Since then, many independent groups have investigated the hotel. Numerous visitors have reported smelling cigar smoke and flowery perfume and hearing disembodied voices late at night in the halls.
Most striking, however, are continual reports of guests hearing and seeing the spirit of Leona, the dog of former hotel owner Mr. Hirst. Guests describe the ghost dog as looking similar to a rat terrier. Leona can be heard running down the halls, brushing up against people’s legs. Phantom barking is often observed, especially by the early morning chefs.
All Dogs Go to Heaven
Photo: Johannes Deiker/Public Domain
On December 30, 1993, Jan Price suffered a near-fatal heart attack and had a Near Death Experience (NDE). During her NDE, Jan found herself in strange, misty surroundings. Suddenly, her beloved dog, Maggi, an English Springer Spaniel, was with her. Maggi had died less than a month before. As Jan recounts, “I felt her presence, her love, and she appeared to me as she had when she was in physical form – only younger, more vital.”
According to Jan, Maggi could “speak” to her in a spiritual way and said. “You know that Daddy can’t handle both of us being gone right now.” Jan told the dog that she was going back to the land of the living, and Maggi promised her when her time came to return to heaven, they would explore wonderful things together.
Yabba Returns to Play Ball with Her Human, Perhaps Because of a Jesus Candle
Photo: John Henry Dolph /Public Domain
The story of Yabba is a typical pet haunting testimonial. On August 30th, 2011, Yabba died 11 days before her 17 birthday. She and owner Maureen were inseparable; Yabba was her “rock and the love of her life” (aside from her son.).
One night, Maureen woke up and found her beloved friend had passed. She was crushed (Maureen, not the dog). Desperate and in the throes of grief, Maureen began calling out to Yabba while taking pictures, hoping she could get just a glimpse of the dog’s spirit in one of her photos. The second shot taken caught an image that looks like a dog.
After taking the picture, Maureen made a memorial to the dog with her toys, a rosary, and a Jesus candle. She spoke to her every day, as if she was still here.
One day, Maureen took out a ball and said “Yabba, here’s your ball, come on let’s play”. The ball moved. It was sitting still on the floor and rolled. Then it happened again. She felt something brush against her, though she was alone. She believes it was the ghost of Yabba, letting her know all is well, and she’s still with her owner in spirit.
The Haunted Intersection, Where Ghost Horses Roam
Photo: Jacques-Laurent Agasse/Public Domain
Cats and dogs are by far the most common animals reported in non-human haunting, but large domesticated animals are also reported to return from the grave. In the Chicago suburbs, there are stables and riding trails in the wood near busy intersection of 95th Street and Kean. One of the trails crosses this dangerous junction. Until recently, there was no traffic control device to allow those on horseback to cross safely, and at least seven people and some horses were killed.
There have been numerous reports of ghosts horse sightings, especially at night or near dusk. Dozens of motorists have seen what appears to be a horse and rider in silhouette attempting to cross from one side of 95th street to the other. When drivers slow down to look at the pair, they sudden dissolve form view. These figures don’t simply disappear near one side of the street or the other, but often right in the middle of the road.
——————————————–
Very nice stories , my Cat Samira who lived with me for 5 years she passed away and I buried her in my Garden
her spirit used to come in my room on my bed and I used to feel her little feet coming and staying closer as she used to do when she was a life. after while and many prayers she rested in peace .
Steve Ramsey, Okotoks , Alberta