By EMILY FREDRIX
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A man plans to pursue visitation rights with the half-dozen black bears that were removed from his farm near Tecumseh last month.
Duane Kuhl, 37, was ticketed on suspicion of illegally possessing wild animals. He pleaded not guilty to the six misdemeanor charges at an arraignment Wednesday in Johnson County Court. Kuhl also faces a five felony counts of stealing some 64 hogs.
His lawyer, Christopher Ferdico, said he and his client plan to pursue the opportunity to visit with the bears, now being housed at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, and check on their health and safety.
Johnson County Attorney Randall Ritnour said Kuhl has no right to see the animals, which the county considers to be contraband.
"He has no more right to visit those bears than a drug dealer has a right to visit his stash after we take it," Ritnour said.
In mid-January, workers from the Henry Doorly Zoo helped Nebraska Game and Parks Commission officials remove the bears from cages on Kuhl's farm - about four miles east of Tecumseh - to the zoo.
Officials at the time said the bears seemed to be in good condition. Three were slated to deliver cubs.
Kuhl said after the bears had been taken that he had permission to have them on his farm, but state law changed last year. He said he owned the bears before the law was changed but only moved them to his farm weeks earlier. The bears had been at a private collector's residence near Leavenworth, Kan., about 80 miles away.
The bears - all North American black bears - range in age from 4 to 8 years old and have been declawed. Kuhl said he planned to sell the cubs as pets to people in states where it is legal to own and possess them.
As for the hog stealing case, Ritnour said Kuhl is accused of taking the animals from a hog operation where he worked and selling them locally for profit. Ritnour estimated the hogs' value at about $24,000.
Both cases are scheduled again for March 29.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A man plans to pursue visitation rights with the half-dozen black bears that were removed from his farm near Tecumseh last month.
Duane Kuhl, 37, was ticketed on suspicion of illegally possessing wild animals. He pleaded not guilty to the six misdemeanor charges at an arraignment Wednesday in Johnson County Court. Kuhl also faces a five felony counts of stealing some 64 hogs.
His lawyer, Christopher Ferdico, said he and his client plan to pursue the opportunity to visit with the bears, now being housed at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, and check on their health and safety.
Johnson County Attorney Randall Ritnour said Kuhl has no right to see the animals, which the county considers to be contraband.
"He has no more right to visit those bears than a drug dealer has a right to visit his stash after we take it," Ritnour said.
In mid-January, workers from the Henry Doorly Zoo helped Nebraska Game and Parks Commission officials remove the bears from cages on Kuhl's farm - about four miles east of Tecumseh - to the zoo.
Officials at the time said the bears seemed to be in good condition. Three were slated to deliver cubs.
Kuhl said after the bears had been taken that he had permission to have them on his farm, but state law changed last year. He said he owned the bears before the law was changed but only moved them to his farm weeks earlier. The bears had been at a private collector's residence near Leavenworth, Kan., about 80 miles away.
The bears - all North American black bears - range in age from 4 to 8 years old and have been declawed. Kuhl said he planned to sell the cubs as pets to people in states where it is legal to own and possess them.
As for the hog stealing case, Ritnour said Kuhl is accused of taking the animals from a hog operation where he worked and selling them locally for profit. Ritnour estimated the hogs' value at about $24,000.
Both cases are scheduled again for March 29.
