Believe It or Not, These Arizona Law’s Aren’t Actually Real!

I grew up hearing about all sorts of ridiculous Arizona laws. As it turns out, a lot of these laws either weren't real or haven't been active in a long time. Here is a list of 3 laws in Arizona that never existed, or haven't existed for decades.

It is Illegal to Refuse Someone Water

This is referenced a lot, and for the longest time, I thought it was a legitimate law. Turn's out, there is no law about refusing water in Arizona. According to Jackson White, an Arizona Law firm, there are no statutes that say you cannot refuse water to someone. Someone could be dying from dehydration, and you would still be allowed to refuse them water. Now, just because it is legal doesn't mean it is ethical.

RELATED: Arizona's Weirdest Law for Motorcyclists

Get our free mobile app

It is illegal for donkeys to sleep in bathtubs

I grew up hearing about this silly law all the time, but the truth is, it hasn't been a law for a while. It originated in the 1920's as something harmless. According to Jeff Gould Law, a rancher in Kingsman, Arizona, used to let his donkey sleep in an abandoned bathtub on his property. There were no issues until one day, a nearby dam broke, and a bathtub was seen getting swept up by the flood. Inside the tub was the donkey. An entire rescue operation had to be performed by law enforcement in order to save the donkey from the flood.

The rescue of the donkey was not easy, and it had stirred up a lot of feelings in the community that made lawmakers decide "never again." A little while later, the law became official: NO MORE BATHTUB DONKEYS! Now you may be wondering, why isn't it a law anymore? I was unable to find the answer to that, but according to Allowed Or Not, the law likely faded into obscurity over time. I mean, it is over a hundred years old.

 It is Illegal to Hunt Camels in Arizona

Although Arizona isn't known for its camel population, this was a real law at one point. According to Obscure History, the U.S. Army once used camels. In 1853, the military was given $30,000 to buy and transport camels to Arizona. As time went on, camels were flooding Arizona. After a few years, the military deemed the camels useless and set them free in the desert.

It is unclear when this became a law, but it was necessary to keep the now wild camels safe from hunters. Even tho they weren't allowed to be hunted, the camel population still disappeared. The camels in Arizona did not have big enough herds to keep population levels high, and by the 20th century, camel sightings were few to none.

Arizona Game and Fish does not currently have any regulations about camels available on their website. According to Obscure History and the Arizona Daily Star, the law is no longer active, meaning IF you find a camel in the Arizona desert, you can take it home and eat it for dinner.

READ MORE ABOUT ARIZONA CAMELS: The Legend of Arizona's "Red Devil"

FUN FACT: Despite all the crazy laws that aren't real, according to azleg.gov, it is illegal to feed a pig trash without a permit. This is a real and active law in Arizona, unlike the other ones listed in this article.

With all that in mind, will you be hunting camels and putting donkeys in bathtubs? It isn't illegal...anymore!

CONTINUE READING: Arizona's Wackiest Law Has Good Reason for Being There