What did your dog dig up today?
As we all know, digging is in our dogs’ DNA; they can unearth the most gruesome artefacts and even discover buried treasure. Today we are looking at three fascinating finds: human remains, a missing bottle and a financial bonanza that will keep one canine entrepreneur in dog food for years to come.
Chicarin
This started in August 2024 in Alabama, USA. A German Shepherd cross called Chicarin went out on her own in a wooded area close to the family home and, much to the alarm of her owners, returned with what appeared to be a human skull. This was examined by a pathologist, who determined that it was genuine and that there was a gunshot wound. Over the next 12 months, this was followed by a tibia, a femur and a mandible (jaw bone). Law enforcement fitted Chicarin with a tracker, followed and found more human remains.
It has been determined that all the remains are from the same individual but despite exhaustive searching through DNA database and police records no match has been made to any missing persons. No dentist has been able to match the mandible to their records and even a facial reconstruction has not led to any leads. The only confirmed facts are that the individual is almost certainly the victim of a homicide and that they are possibly a black male.
Chicarin continues to roam the woods but up to this point no further remains have been found. The police continue to investigate and would welcome any further information, however, trivial.
Ollie And The Treasure
Adam Clark and Kim McGuire had adopted a Lagotto Romagnolo puppy called Ollie, a breed sometimes referred to as a teddy bear on legs
This is a breed of dog originally from Italy that was used as a water retriever for ducks and other waterfowl. With the draining of the marshland, the dog is now used as a truffle hound, a task it is particularly suited to, as it has a keen scenting ability.
Purchased as a family pet with a daughter Alice in mind, the adorable fluffy pup was taken for his first walk. Now most of us will approach this event with a mix of wonderment as our newly acquired family member sniffs, digs and indulges in zoomies and a degree of nervousness as we hope that they come back when called.
Ollie, however, was intent on only one activity: digging.
This walk took place in the local park where Ollie uncovered a cache of 15 sovereign gold coins that were dated as far back as 1489.
Adam took the coins to establish if they were genuine and to have them valued. Well, they were genuine and were valued at just short of £6,000, approximately $7500, not a bad return for a walk in the park! There is no information on the purchase price that the family paid for Ollie, but undoubtedly they are in profit.
Despite this early introduction to treasure hunting and the hope he might uncover more finds in the future, the most important fact is that Ollie remains a much-loved family pet.
The Bottle
(Stanley)
Stanley the Labrador was a fanatical digger, but this insistent canine did his digging with a difference; he only dug in the same place for months. Paul Phillips, his long-suffering owner, who was repeatedly obliged to repair the damage, even tried to cover the area with a paving slab, but Stanley was not to be denied. His determination to expose the object he was seeking came when he exposed enough of his find for Paul to finally discover what Stanley had been seeking for months. Paul got down on his hands and knees when he saw what he thought was a piece of pipe, only it wasn’t; it was a glass bottle. It was blue in colour with the words NOT TO BE TAKEN clearly written on the side. In fact, it was a very attractive artefact.
A piece of history
160 years previously, on the 4th November 1865, at Honiton Clyst in the country of Devon, England, William Ashford, a shoe maker, died. Sadly, his demise was not a natural one; he died of arsenic poisoning, with an estate worth £120. All the evidence pointed to his wife of 20 years, who was indulging in an affair with one Frank Pratt and wanted the money to finance her extramarital activity. Having been tried for the offence of murder and found guilty, on Wednesday 28th March 1866 Mary Ann Ashford, the wife of William Ashford, was hanged in front of 20,000 onlookers. The hanging was botched and was the catalyst for these events starting to be discontinued.
And the connection between these seemingly unconnected events? Well, Paul Phillips lives next door to the property that was owned in 1865 by William Ashford. The bottle that contained the poison that ended the life of William Ashford was never found, but considering the close proximity of the two residences, it is highly likely that the bottle that contained the arsenic that caused the death of William Ashford was buried nearby. It should be noted that since digging up the poison bottle, Stanley shows no interest in any further excavations.
N.B. For the committed historians amongst you, the last man to be publicly executed in England was Michael Barrett on the 26th May 1868 for his participation in the explosion outside Clerkenwell prison in December 1867. It was considered to be the most serious act of terrorism of the 19th century by an Irish Republican sympathiser.
It should be noted that Michael Barrett, whilst never denying his sympathy for the Republican cause, denied the charge, and the only evidence against him was a statement by an individual with a proven record of lying; therefore, it is highly likely that Michael Barrett was innocent.
“Digging holes is my passion, filling them in is your problem.”
Anon
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