The world is surely filled with interesting places and cultures. Therefore, what can be normal to some, may be completely unheard of to someone else. Here are some of the weirdest laws from around the world and the stories behind them.
- It’s illegal to hold salmon under suspicious circumstances
Section 32 of the Salmon Act 1986 creates an offense in England and Wales for any person who receives or disposes of any salmon in circumstances where they believe or could reasonably believe that the salmon has been illegally fished. The maximum penalty is two years imprisonment.
- It’s illegal to let your chickens cross the road in Quitman, Georgia
This law is meant for owners to have their chickens under control at all times. Georgia likes to ensure the safety and sacredness of their chicken. The law describes chicken as a “culinary delicacy sacred to its municipality.”
- It was illegal to change a light bulb unless you’re a licensed electrician in Victoria, Australia
Under Victorian law, changing a light bulb without a valid license was against the law. Taking your light into your own hands brought a fine of 10 Australian dollars. However, a revision to the 1998 Electricity Safety Act updated this law.
- It’s a legal requirement to smile at all times except at funerals or hospitals in Milan, Italy
In Milan, the law compels you to smile. It’s prescribed by a city regulation from Austro-Hungarian times that was never repealed.
- It’s illegal to pass wind in a public place after 6pm on Thursdays in Florida
One weird law, that’s since been long-forgotten, is that it’s illegal to pass wind in Florida after 6pm on a Thursday. It’s never really been enforced in Florida but it was probably written in the 1800’s. It’s not clear why this ever became a law, or a rumoured law in the first place.
- It’s against the law to have a sleeping donkey in your bathtub after 7 pm in Arizona, USA
In Arizona, a law was brought into effect after a public menace case in 1924. A merchant used to allow his donkey to sleep in a bathtub and when the town flooded, the donkey was washed a mile down the valley. The donkey survived, but locals spent a lot of time and manpower to save the animal. This law was passed shortly after.
- It’s illegal not to walk your dog at least three times a day in Turin, Italy
Dog owners in Turin, Italy will be fined up to €500 if they don’t walk their pets at least three times a day, under a new law from the city’s council.
- You must let anyone use your toilet if they ask in Scotland
If you need the toilet you can knock on someone’s door and ask to use their bathroom in Scotland – and by law, they cannot deny you.
- In Samoa, it’s illegal to forget your wife’s birthday
You will get more than the silent treatment from your wife if you forget her birthday in Samoa. It is unclear how long the sentence would be.
- It’s a legal requirement to own a burial plot before you die in Sarpourenx, France
The mayor of Sarpourenx issued an edict forbidding people from dying within the city limits unless they had previously purchased a plot in a local cemetery.
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