Police say an Ohio breakup turned into a fight over a pet squirrel

NewsWhat police say happened when an Ohio man went back for his pet squirrelDante Pennachio, 39, of Liberty Township, pleaded not guilty in Warren Municipal Court to aggravated burglary after a dispute with his ex-girlfriend over a shared pet squirrel. His bond is $200,000. (Photo by Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images)Matt McClain/Getty ImagesA dispute over a pet squirrel has landed a Liberty Township man in jail on a $200,000 bond, the Warren Tribune-Chronicle reported. Dante Pennachio, 39, pleaded not guilty Monday to a felony aggravated burglary charge in Warren Municipal Court. Judge Natasha Natale set his bond and ordered him to have no contact with the woman, court records show.Police were called to a home on Merriweather Street NW on Saturday for a disturbance. Officers saw a car pulling out of the driveway and stopped the driver, Pennachio, according to a police report. A woman at the home told officers she and Pennachio used to date. She said he had sent her threatening text messages for several days and was upset about the squirrel they shared. She was caring for the animal until she could hand it over to the Humane Society, she told police, WKBN added.The woman said Pennachio came inside and started taking items he had given her as gifts. When he reached for the squirrel’s cage, she stepped in front of it. She told police he threw her to the floor. She said she punched and kicked him as he left with the squirrel. Pennachio told police a different story. He said the front door was unlocked, so he walked in to get his things. He said she attacked him first and he was defending himself, WKBN said.So where is the squirrel now? The police report doesn’t say. In Ohio, people can’t keep animals taken from the wild as pets. Injured or orphaned wildlife must go to a licensed rehabilitator, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Pennachio is due back in court Thursday. Chris Pugh covers trending news and national breaking stories, focusing on the moments, conversations, and cultural flashpoints shaping the national news cycle. Chris worked as a digital reporter for...This article was produced with assistance from AI tools and reviewed by Cleveland.com staff.