Paratainment: Dogs, Alive and Dead

Dogs, Alive and Dead
Watching Haunted Collector last night. Ohio old hotel, now a home being renovated, and large animal cages/kennels in the basement. Huge deep scratches, down to the bare wood on a door; clearly the work of an animal. One of the investigators had an unseen something scratch him across his back.  Bad vibes all around; so bad they came through the television. Jim and I both looked at each other and said "Oh I don't like this." Research into background of the place revealed dog fighting -- "to the death" -- and the dog fighting ring was one of the largest in the country. Authorities spent 14 months investigating before busting the bastards.(The psychos even had children watch the dog fights!)

The team brings in a dog that has "experience working with paranormal investigators." That struck me as odd; the animal doesn't have any choice in that. Whatever happened to bringing in mediums, psychics? We know animals, like dogs and cats, are extremely sensitive and aware of spirit activity. So nothing new really to be gained. Naturally the dog reacts to the basement; is freaked and will not go down there. They try to make him, but he won't have it.

 The baseline sweep picked up nothing until Brian got scratched down the back in the basement! THREE major claw marks down his back!!  Aimee and Jason can't find evidence of a priest being murdered, but they did uncover news reports of a dog-fighting sting that went down in that area. Could they have been using the rectory?  Circumstantial evidence indicates yes!

The team is going to bring a dog- Ceasar the Doberman- in to help with this investigation.  All is fine until they bring Ceasar to the basement and the dog freaks!!  It just refuses to go down there.  Finally, John discovers an odd piece of wood and he fears his suspicions on what it could be might be true. He brings it to an animal shelter, where he learns it was a break stick used in brutal dogfights.  (SyFy.com)

Finally the investigators agree to leave the dog upstairs. Later, John Zaffis, the host of Haunted Collector, says how he's a dog lover and this whole thing (the dogfighting) made him sick. I'm sure the was no ill intent meant towards the dog but the whole thing struck me as one more cheap trick in the increasing circus of TV paratainment. UFOs, ghosts, Bigfoot, if TV is involved, expect ridiculous stunts and little context.