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Professor Ernesto Bozzano - The parapsychological manifestations of animals - 130 cases proving animal mediumistic abilities

Camille Flammarion communicated to the Annals of Psychic Sciences (1912, p. 279) the following story, which was sent to him by Mr. G. Graeser, who resided in Lausanne:

...May I tell you a small fact about the examples you mentioned in your book "The Unknown"? I wouldn't tell you about it if I had seen one like it in your book.  The subject is not a person, but an animal...

A bit lonely, a lover of study and not the world, I have no friends; but I did have one: he was a dog. This dog was more intelligent than many men. He was my guardian; when at night I remained alone contemplating the sky, he lay faithfully at my feet. His thick fur, he was a Saint Bernard, covered my legs. It was difficult for me to move when I had to follow the path of a star. If I was in my room and reading, he would sit there, looking at me, I would even say understanding me. I felt that he loved loneliness as much as I did, that is why we did not leave each other.

I am writing this report so that you can understand my affection for him and why I considered him a friend.

It was in December 1910, on the 14th to be exact, that my mother took my Boby with her. First of all, I must note that he demonstrated unfriendly behaviour when someone approached to take him away a little too noisily. Secondly, when I was talking to my father, the dog would get involved and take my side seriously.

Following a complaint, I think (I learned it too late, alas!) my parents decided to have him shot.

It was one night at 7:30. I was in my room and I heard the door open (he opened it alone, being as tall as me; he was 1m 80 tall). So I heard the door open and saw my Boby appear. He stood on the threshold with his suffering expression. I said, "Come on, Boby!" without looking up, he didn't obey. I  then repeated my order, he came. He brushed my legs and lay on the sofa; I wanted to pet him, but... nothing, he was gone!....

Although I had never read such stories in "The Unknown" before, I rushed out of my room. The door had remained open, I phoned Lausanne and asked for the Clos d'Equarissage. Here is what our dialogue was like:

- Hello, this is the Equarissage enclosure.

- Have you seen a lady dressed in black with a Saint-Bernard dog?

- We just shot a Saint-Bernard dog two minutes ago; he is lying on the floor and the lady is here!

With these words, I fell backwards and fainted.

When I returned to my natural state, I asked for my dog: he was not there, he was dead. I was told all about the drama.

This is the story of my Boby, it is to be noted that the minute he died I saw him, with my own eyes, and, what removes any doubt of hallucination, is that the door had been opened on its own....

Mr. Flammarion asked a professor from the University of Lausanne to undertake a small investigation into this fact.  The investigator replied by confirming the story of the young Mr. Graeser.