Skunk Rescue Story Causes Big Stink

Skunk Whisper gets flack from viewers after he rescues a skunk on TV.

Friday, October 23rd 2009, 2:41 pm

By: News On 6

Chris Howell NewsOn6.com

TULSA---Ned Bruha ‘The Skunk Whisperer' was featured last week on News On 6 when he rescued a skunk with a peanut butter jar stuck on it's head.

‘The coverage from channel 6 was fantastic, said Ned, ‘it was all over the internet instantly, CNN, MSNBC-everywhere!'

And most of the responses to Ned's skunk rescue were positive, but tuesday The Bonnie Hunt Show trashed Ned for doing the interview while the skunk still had the jar on it's head.

‘This guy Ned Bruha was there to help the skunk,' said Hunt on her show, ‘but he did the whole interview with the skunk behind him with the jar of peanut butter on his head and I was yelling at the T.V., "Oh my god, do the interview after you get the peanut butter jar off his head!"'

Bonnie's natural reaction to the story brought a flood of angry email down on Ned, and he felt his reputation being ruined.

‘What she didn't understand is we're waiting for permission from the state to be able to pull it off without me losing all my license and permits and not being able to do this in the state of Oklahoma,' explained Bruha.

Oklahoma law states that once Ned touches a possible carrier of rabies such as a skunk or raccoon, it has to be destroyed or relocated. During the interview Ned was waiting on permission from Wildlife Control to legally remove the jar. Ned called The Bonnie Hunt Show and explained.

Bonnie: Honey, I was yelling at the T.V., I was why are you doing the interview with the T.V. with the peanut butter jar still on his head?

Ned: Now you know how frustrated I feel every day when I go out and try to do my job, my hands were tied

Bonnie Hunt let Ned explain the laws in Oklahoma to her audience, hopefully ending the angry emails, although Ned is still bound by the law.

We found Ned on the job trying to relocate a raccoon found in a building's courtyard. This time the animal found its own way out. This might just be the best solution to a tricky problem for both the raccoon and Ned Bruha.

Chris Howell NewsOn6.com