French Lick Springs, Indiana, once passed a law requiring all black cats to wear bells on Friday the 13th.

The local council in Lorinc, Hungary issued new regulations in 2001, saying cats can only be taken on to the street on leads.

Officials say the measure will protect the public from the "dangerous menace of free range cats."

Madison, Wisconsin, will not allow joint custody of a family pet when a couple divorces - the animal is legally awarded to whoever happens to have possession of it at the time of the initial separation.

Dogs in Foxpoint, Wisconsin, may not bark profusely, snarl, or make any menacing gestures. In Wanassa, New Jersey, a dog is breaking the law if it is heard to be "crying."

Cats in International Falls, Minnesota, are not allowed to chase dogs up telephone poles.

If your dog gets your neighbor's dog pregnant in Danbury, Connecticut, you are responsible and must pay for the abortion if the neighbor chooses to have it done.

No dog may be tied to a shade tree in Birmingham, Alabama.

An ordinance in Belvedere, California, states "No dog shall be in a public place without its master on a leash." Another misworded ordinance is this one from Arvada, Colorado: "If a stray pet is not claimed within 24 hours, the owner will be destroyed."

Fights between cats and dogs are prohibited by statute in Barber, North Carolina.

In Sterling, Colorado, it is unlawful to allow a pet cat to run loose without a taillight.

In Ventura County, California, cats and dogs are not allowed to have sex without a permit.

Cats living in Cresskill, New Jersey, must wear three bells to warn birds of their whereabouts.

Dogs cannot nap in barbershops or beauty salons in Duluth, Minnesota. The law also makes it illegal to let a dog, horse, or any other animal sleep in a bakery.

In California, animals are banned from mating publicly within 1,500 feet of a tavern, school, or place of worship.

In Hartford, Connecticut, it is illegal to educate a dog.

In Zion, Illinois, it is illegal for anyone to give lighted cigars to dogs, cats, and other domesticated animals kept as pets.

Cats may not yowl after 9 pm in Columbus, Georgia; in Collingswood, New Jersey, no dog is allowed to bark or howl between the hours of 8 pm and 6 am. Dogs are not allowed on the streets of Provo, Utah, after 7 pm. And in Smithtown, New York, dogs can't bark for more than 15 minutes at a time (punishment for the third infraction is a $500 fine and a 15-day jail sentence).

In Pateros, Washington, dogs are expressly forbidden from getting in the way of people walking on the streets.

In Kentucky, dogs are not allowed to attack or bother cats, though they can legally fight with each other.

If you're living in the city limits of Topeka, Kansas, you are breaking the law if you own more than five cats at a time. In Shorewood, Wisconsin, however, no more than two dogs or cats can be owned by the same family.

In Eastlake, Ohio, you'll be fined $25 or 10 days in jail if you "molest a dog."

You may not keep a pet cat and a pet bird on the same premises in Reed City, Michigan.

Dogcatchers in Denver, Colorado, must post a warning notice before they can go out hunting for stray dogs. And in Virginia, state law prohibits a dogcatcher from bothering cats while he or she is looking for dogs.

A policeman in Paulding, Ohio, may bite a dog to quiet him.

People can be fined, arrested or jailed for making ugly faces at a dog in Oklahoma.

Dogs must have a permit signed by the mayor in order to congregate in groups of three or more on private property. In Tulsa, Oklahoma, dogs are prohibited from going on private property unless the owner gives his consent first.

In Chicago, it is illegal to take a French poodle to the opera.
Dogs are strictly forbidden from riding in ambulances in Westport, Massachusetts.

Wallace, Idaho, decreed it is unlawful for anyone to sleep in a dog kennel.
It is against the law for people living in Idaho to participate in dog fights.
During the month of April in Massachusetts, all dogs must have their hind legs tied.

In Denver, Colorado, a dog may not transfer on the tramways; on the other paw, all dogs must pay full fare. In 1936, Denver also passed a law that a dogcatcher must notify dogs of impounding by posting a notice for 3 consecutive days on a tree in the park.

In Joliet, Illinois, if a female dog is caught running loose, the owner can be fined.

A law in Chicago prohibits anyone from feeding whiskey to dogs.