Laws are supposed to make sense, but sometimes they end up being downright strange. Over the years, U.S. states and towns have passed some very unusual rules – some of them so oddly specific that you can’t help but wonder what event inspired them in the first place. We did some digging and found laws that stayed on the books for decades, long after they stopped being useful. So here are 12 of the weirdest laws that were once completely real, even if nobody was actually enforcing them anymore.
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No singing in a swimsuit – Sarasota, Florida
At one point in Sarasota, it was illegal to sing or hum a tune while wearing a swimsuit in public. The law was likely put in place to keep beach behavior “proper,” but it’s practically laughable today.
Don’t teach your dog tricks – Hartford, Connecticut
One old law in Hartford stated that it was illegal to teach a dog how to do a trick. The reasoning is a bit unclear, but some say it was meant to protect animals from being exploited. Either way, teaching Fido to “sit” could technically be illegal.
No whistling for a lost canary before 7 a.m. – Berkeley, California
Berkeley once had a law stating that it was illegal to whistle for your pet canary before 7 a.m. The law was meant to prevent noise disturbances during the early hours of the morning. So, if your canary was missing and flew away at 6 a.m., you just had to wait and hope it didn’t wander off too far.
Selling dog or cat hair is banned – Delaware
Believe it or not, Delaware has a law against the sale of cat or dog hair. Anybody caught doing so could be fined up to $2,400. While it sounds completely odd to us today, this law was likely put in place to prevent cruelty and a black market for fur.
Scrubbing sinks was illegal – Baltimore, Maryland
A law in Baltimore once made it illegal to scrub or wash a sink. The reason was that dirty water runoff would enter the public supply and cause pollution. This one just sounds like a good excuse to not clean the bathroom.
Don’t harass Bigfoot – Skamania County, Washington
Skamania County in Washington has some very serious laws about Bigfoot. Harassing or injuring the creature is illegal. If you were caught breaking this law, you could land up with fines or even jail time, all for being a menace to a legendary ape-man.
Stay home if you have a cold – Washington State
Some towns in Washington had a law that made it a misdemeanor to go out in public with the common cold. This was probably intended to prevent sickness from spreading. Still, it’s strange to think you could be “breaking the law” just by having the sniffles.
No selling X-ray glasses – Washington State
Selling novelty “X-ray vision” glasses was banned because the state decided the gimmick was misleading and potentially harmful. Of course, they never actually worked. The rule is still on the books, though most people have no idea it exists.
High heels need a permit – Carmel, California
Women in Carmel are technically required to have a permit to wear spike heels higher than two inches with a narrow base. The law was meant to prevent injuries from tripping on uneven sidewalks. Today, it’s mostly just a fun fact for tourists who visit the small beach town.
You can sell hair or blood, but not organs – Texas
Texas has a very specific law about what parts of the body can be sold. You can legally sell your hair or plasma in Texas. Selling organs is strictly forbidden, though, and can carry a lot of punishment.
Unmarried women can’t parachute on Sundays – Florida
A very outdated Florida law once made it illegal for unmarried women to parachute on Sundays. It’s unclear why this was ever needed, but it reflected old-fashioned ideas about “morality.” Thankfully, it’s not enforced today, but it stayed on the books for years.
No dancing while drinking – Lynden, Washington
This small town in Washington decided to ban dancing at any place where alcohol was being served. This was likely a law based on very strict religious traditions. It would certainly be a strange place to visit today. Imagine a lively bar where everybody just sat down awkwardly silent because there was no dancing allowed.
The following source was consulted in the preparation of this article – 50 Weird Laws in the US You Won’t Believe Exist
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