You can't believe everything you read on the Internet – unless of course, the story has been published to Snopes.com, a reputable website that accurately validates and debunks wide spread rumors, urban legends, and stories featuring unknown or questionable origins. 

Here are five times that Colorado has appeared on Snopes, and whether these stories were proven to be true or false.

  • 1

    Owl Attorney

    TRUE

    Did an Aspen man accused of violating a protection order, bring a stuffed owl to court to represent him? Yes, he did. During his 2015 appearance at Pitkin County Court, Charles Abbott placed the stuffed bird he called "Solomon" on the table in front of him, along with mentioning that besides "being a sensitive guy," the owl also had law degrees from Yale, Harvard, and Stanford. Judge Fernandez-Ely chose to ignore the fowl attorney and the prop was said to have had no influence on the hearing's final outcome. What a hoot! 

    Rick Carroll/ The Aspen Times
    Rick Carroll/ The Aspen Times
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  • 2

    Colorado Pot Shops Accept Food Stamps Toward Purchases

    FALSE

    When recreational weed first became legal in Colorado in 2014, a story began to circulate about a pot shop owner that was accepting food stamps towards the purchases of edible marijuana products. The news story claimed that the store owner was taking advantage of a loophole in the system, and that "everyone should have access to marijuana." This story, however, was just a bit of political humor aimed to poke fun at the controversy over legal marijuana use and stereotypes about recipients of government assistance, all stemming from the satirical website, National Report – a page known for publishing outrageous, fictional stories.

    Bob Berg/Getty Images
    Bob Berg/Getty Images
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  • 3

    A Fishy Find in Fort Collins

    TRUE

    A fishy situation occurred back in 1994, when it was reported that a Roto-Rooter employee bagged a 2.5 pound trout while unclogging a 10 centimeter drain line in Fort Collins. The story is 100% true, and hopefully he had a license...

    Thinkstock
    Thinkstock
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  • 4

    Carpool Lane Dummy

    TRUE

    Despite what was found in the passenger seat during a 2006 traffic stop on U.S. 36 in Westminster, it was the driver that ended up looking like the real dummy in this case. That's because upon being pulled over in the carpool lane, which is open only to vehicles carrying two or more passengers, it was discovered that the driver was the only human in the car –  the passenger riding shotgun was actually a mannequin named "Tillie." The dummy, complete with make-up and clothing, ended up costing the driver an $100 fine, and community service in which he was forced to stand on the side of the highway with a sign reading, ""HOV lane not for dummies."

    Photo courtesy of The Denver News Channel
    Photo courtesy of The Denver News Channel
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  • 5

    One Stiff Drink

    FALSE

    In October 2001, a Denver man called police after finding what he thought was a human penis in his bottle of fruit punch. After the 3-inch "organ" was turned over to the local coroner for testing, it was determined that the gruesome item was actually mold that had developed due to a malfunction in the packaging. That being said, the story is still absolutely disgusting.

    Thinkstock
    Thinkstock
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