Georgia enforces several unusual laws alongside its standard prohibitions. Bear wrestling, while more famously banned in states like Alabama and Louisiana to curb animal cruelty, ties into Georgia’s broader wildlife protection statutes that restrict exploitative animal activities. Other quirky local ordinances highlight the state’s mix of historical and municipal rules.
Obscure Animal Laws
Georgia bans tying a giraffe to a telephone pole or street lamp in some areas, stemming from outdated vagrancy-style laws aimed at preventing livestock from blocking public ways. Donkeys may not be kept in bathtubs after 7 p.m., a relic from rural sanitation efforts to avoid overnight animal bathing mishaps. These reflect early 20th-century efforts to regulate exotic or farm animals in urban settings.​
Food and Utensil Quirks
In Gainesville, eating fried chicken with a fork is illegal, a 1961 publicity stunt to brand the city as the “Poultry Capital of the World,” mandating finger-eating for the dish. Tattoos were once banned statewide, though now largely unenforced except in specific contexts like government jobs. Such rules blend humor with historical promotion.​
Miscellaneous Prohibitions
Acworth requires all citizens to own a rake, likely from old community cleanup mandates. Tissues cannot be carried in the back of cars, an odd traffic safety holdover. Juggling without a license is restricted in some towns, targeting public performance hazards.
SOURCES
[1](https://www.gegidze.com/post/the-full-list-of-prohibited-activities-that-nullify-georgia-s-small-business-status)
[2](https://www.runsensible.com/blog/weird-laws-in-the-us/)
[3](https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-16/chapter-14/section-16-14-4/)
[4](https://big1065.iheart.com/featured/mark-manuel/content/2025-07-18-you-wont-believe-whats-illegal-in-some-states/)
[5](https://consumer.georgia.gov/organization/about-us/statutes-we-enforce)
