BISMARCK, N.D. - A North Dakota man has served an unusually steep sentence for having an unlicensed cat: two days in jail.

William T. Dennis, 38, was charged with failing to license his feline, which normally brings a fine. But a warrant was issued for his arrest when he didn`t show up for a court appearance on the charge.

Dennis spent two days in jail before appearing in court again.

"He basically just received credit for time served," said Bismarck Municipal Judge Charles Isakson.

Failure to license an animal carries a fine up to $1,000 and a possible 30 day jail sentence in Bismarck.

"I never thought I`d sentence someone to two days in jail for this," Isakson said. "Since no situations like this are on record, I had no history to go on for sentencing."

By The Associated Press
sections: Society, World News