St. Petersburg Police K-9 Bitten By Rattlesnake

A St. Petersburg Police Department K-9 unit was called out to track a suspect possibly involved in a burglary in the vicinity of the Inlet Bay apartments at 119th Avenue North and 4th Street around 12:20 p.m. Thursday afternoon.

The K-9, named Ajax, entered a wooded area near the apartments and was bitten by a rattlesnake. The handler, Officer Joseph Lehmann, shot the snake and Ajax was taken to the Partridge Animal Hospital at 6920 4th Street North. He was treated with anti-venom and his condition is still being evaluated.

The suspect that Ajax was tracking was not apprehended and remains at large. He was described as a white male, in his 40’s last seen wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans.

Detectives were in the area when they observed the suspect acting suspiciously. When they approached to question him he fled north bound out of the complex. Officer Lehmann and Ajax responded to track the subject when the snake bite occurred.

Update: Ajax is now released and recovering.