Being the victim of an animal attack can be a traumatic experience. If you are bitten, scratched, or otherwise injured by an animal in New York, you need to act quickly to protect your health and legal rights.
In New York City: Report all animal bites within 24 hours through the NYC Health Department's online reporting page or by calling 311. This mandatory reporting requirement under NYC Health Code § 11.03 applies to every bite incident, regardless of severity.
Rest of New York State: Report bites and exposures to your county health department. Find contact information for your local health department at health.ny.gov.
Proper reporting serves multiple critical purposes: it enables rabies risk assessment, creates an official legal record crucial for compensation claims, tracks dangerous dogs for public safety, and ensures appropriate medical follow-up. Understanding when to call 911 versus 311, how to comply with reporting deadlines, and what evidence to collect can determine both your medical outcome and the success of any legal action.
Step 1: Get Medical Care and Document Injuries
Before you do anything else, if you are injured in an animal attack, your first priority should be to seek medical care. Even minor bites or scratches can become infected or lead to other complications. Go to the nearest emergency room or urgent care facility to have your injuries evaluated and treated.
Dog bites can introduce dangerous bacteria deep into tissue, leading to serious infections like cellulitis, abscesses, bone and joint infections, and in severe cases, sepsis or organ failure. Deep punctures, bites to the face or hands, uncontrolled bleeding, or injuries to children, older adults, or immunocompromised individuals require urgent evaluation.
Initial Medical Documentation
Obtain complete medical records and itemized bills for any treatment you receive. These will be important for documenting the attack and supporting any compensation claim. Request the full file, not just summaries, including:
- Emergency room or urgent care records with triage notes
- Detailed descriptions of wounds and injuries
- Physician notes and assessments
- Test results and imaging studies (X-rays, MRIs, lab work)
- Medication records and prescriptions
- Complete billing records with itemized charges
Take photos of any injuries or wounds caused by the attack both immediately after and over the following days as they heal. Photograph injuries from multiple angles before medical providers clean and dress them. These images provide crucial evidence of injury severity and may be the only record of the initial trauma. Continue photographing your injuries daily to document healing, infection, or scarring.
What to Collect at the Scene
Create a comprehensive evidence file immediately by gathering:
Owner Information
- Full name, address, and phone number
- Homeowner's or renter's insurance information
- Email address if available
Vaccination and Veterinary Records
- Proof of current rabies vaccination
- Dog's veterinary records
- Veterinarian's name and contact information
Photographs
- All visible injuries from multiple angles
- Torn or bloody clothing
- The attack location (if safe to return)
- The dog itself (from a safe distance)
- Any broken fence, open gate, or lack of leash
Witness Information
- Full names and contact information of everyone who saw the attack
- Written or recorded statements from witnesses
- Security camera footage or witness video if available
Medical Visit Records
- Emergency room or urgent care visit documentation
- Names of all treating physicians and nurses
- All prescriptions and medication receipts
- Follow-up appointment schedules
Step 2: Report the Attack
Notifying the proper authorities about an animal attack is required by law in New York and critical for ensuring safety protocols are followed, assessing rabies risk, and creating an official record for legal purposes.
When to Call 911 vs. 311
The decision to call 911 or 311 after an animal attack depends on the severity of the injuries and whether the dog poses an immediate threat to public safety.
Call 911 Immediately If:
- The attack has caused serious injuries requiring emergency medical care, including deep wounds, uncontrolled bleeding, injuries to the face or neck, or wounds involving a child or elderly victim
- The dog poses an immediate danger to you or others in the area, such as an aggressive dog still loose or attacking
- The victim is experiencing life-threatening symptoms, difficulty breathing, severe blood loss, or signs of shock
Emergency services will dispatch police and EMS to the scene, provide urgent medical care, and create an official police report documenting the incident. This report becomes critical evidence in any future legal claim.
Call 311 For:
- Non-emergency situations where the victim has received or is receiving medical care but needs to fulfill the mandatory public health reporting requirement
- Formal reporting of an animal bite to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) within the required 24-hour window
- Situations where a healthy stray dog needs to be captured and observed at a shelter for the mandatory 10-day rabies observation period
- Arranging for a dead or trapped animal (such as a raccoon, bat, or the biting dog) to be collected and tested for rabies
- General inquiries about dog bite procedures, animal control, or how to file a report
Report an Animal Bite in NYC
New York City Health Code § 11.03 requires that all animal bites, including dog bites, cat bites, and bites from any other animal, be reported within 24 hours of the event. This is not optional; it is a legal requirement that applies to every bite incident, regardless of severity.
Why the 24-Hour Deadline Matters
The mandatory reporting rule serves multiple critical public health and legal purposes:
- Rabies risk assessment: Reporting enables NYC Veterinary Public Health Services to coordinate a 10-day observation period for the biting dog to determine whether it is healthy and rabies-free, potentially sparing the victim from unnecessary rabies post-exposure prophylaxis, which involves a series of painful injections.
- Official legal record: The report becomes crucial evidence if the victim later pursues compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, scarring, or other damages. A timely report strengthens the credibility of the claim and documents the incident before memories fade or evidence disappears.
- Public safety tracking: Each report contributes to citywide surveillance data used to identify dangerous dogs, track bite trends by breed and borough, and allow authorities to intervene before a repeat attack occurs.
Failing to report within 24 hours can result in legal penalties, compromise the victim's ability to receive proper medical care and rabies prevention protocols, and weaken or destroy the victim's ability to pursue compensation later. The 24-hour window begins from the moment of the bite, not from when medical care is sought, so immediate action is essential.
How to Report in NYC
New York City provides multiple convenient channels for reporting animal bites:
Online Reporting: File a report through the NYC Health Department's official animal bite reporting page. The online form must be submitted within 24 hours of the event. Save a screenshot of the submission confirmation page and note the confirmation number, as proof of timely filing protects against penalties.
By Phone: Call 311 or 212-NEW-YORK (212-639-9675) for general reporting assistance. For direct access to specialized staff, call the Animal Bite Unit at 646-364-1799 or the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene at (212) 676-2483.
Police Report: In addition to reporting to the Health Department, file a report with your local NYPD precinct to create an official police record. Request a copy of the full police report or case number, as this serves as independent corroboration of the attack.
What Happens After You Report
Once a report is filed, NYC Veterinary Public Health Services coordinates follow-up with the animal, the dog owner, and the person bitten to assess the risk of rabies. The Health Department provides guidance on next steps, including whether rabies treatment is recommended, and ensures that the biting dog undergoes the required 10-day observation period.
Report an Animal Bite Outside NYC
If the attack occurred outside New York City, report the bite to your county health department immediately. Each county maintains its own animal control and public health reporting systems.
How to Find Your County Health Department
Visit health.ny.gov to locate contact information for your local county health department. Most counties require reporting within 24 to 48 hours of the bite.
What to Report
Provide your county health department with:
- Victim's name, age, address, and contact information
- Date, time, and exact location of the attack
- Description of injuries and whether medical treatment was received
- Dog owner's information if known
- Description of the dog (breed, color, size, markings)
- Dog's rabies vaccination status if available
Contact Local Police or Animal Control
Also file a report with your local police department or county animal control office. Request a copy of the official report or case number for your records. The animal control agency will investigate and determine if the animal needs to undergo a mandatory 10-day rabies observation.
For attacks involving stray animals with unknown health histories, your local health department can advise on whether you need rabies post-exposure treatment based on rabies risk in the geographic area.
If you were Injured, talk to a NY dog bite lawyer
Reach out to our legal team to know your options (free and non-obligatory).
What Information to Gather for Your Report
To fulfill the reporting requirement effectively and create a complete official record, you must provide detailed information about the victim, the incident, and the dog and its owner.
Victim Information
- Full name, date of birth or age
- Complete address (street, city, zip code)
- Phone numbers (home, cell, work if applicable)
- If the victim is a minor, parent or guardian's name, address, and contact information
Incident Details
- Date and time of the attack
- Exact location where it occurred (including street address, city or town)
- Part of the body injured
- Whether the skin was broken
- What the victim was doing at the time of the bite
- Description of the injury severity
- Whether medical treatment was received and where
Dog and Owner Information
- Dog owner's name, full address, and phone numbers (home, cell, work)
- Dog's type and breed
- Dog's name if known
- Color and any unique markings
- Age and sex of the dog
- Date of the dog's last rabies vaccination
- Name and phone number of the dog's veterinarian
- Relationship of the dog to the victim (owned pet, neighbor's dog, family member's dog, stray)
If the dog owner is unknown, report as much as you can about the dog's description and location. Authorities can investigate ownership later, but timely reporting within 24 hours is essential even when information is incomplete.
Step 3: Preserve Evidence
Beyond reporting to authorities, you must gather and preserve evidence to support both your medical care and any future legal claim. Evidence collection should begin immediately, as wounds heal, memories fade, and physical evidence disappears over time.
Photograph Injuries and The Scene
Photographs are among the most compelling pieces of evidence in a dog bite case, conveying the severity and impact of the attack far more powerfully than words alone.
Take dated photographs of any injuries or wounds caused by the animal attack. Continue to take pictures as the injuries progress during healing. This creates a visual record of the damage and demonstrates the lasting impact of the bite.
Photograph the location or scene where the attack happened from multiple angles. If it was a dog attack, take pictures of blood on the ground, the dog's leash or collar lying nearby, any broken fence or open gate, lack of warning signs, and the surrounding area. Document everything you can.
If possible and safe, photograph or video the dog itself from a distance. This visual evidence can help identify the dog and demonstrate its size, breed, and general demeanor.
Critically, continue documenting your injuries over time as they heal, showing the progression of scarring, infection, or long-term disfigurement. This visual timeline demonstrates the lasting impact of the bite and supports claims for pain, suffering, and permanent injury.
Write Down Detailed Notes
Document the animal's behavior in the moments leading up to the attack. Note any signs of aggression or agitation, such as growling, barking, lunging, or showing teeth.
Record the exact date, time, and location of where the attack took place. Include details like weather conditions, lighting, what you were doing at the time, and the circumstances that led to the encounter with the dog.
Write down everything you remember about the dog's appearance, including breed or breed mix, size and approximate weight, color and unique markings, collar or tags, and whether it appeared to be a pet or stray.
If the dog owner was present, document their statements about what happened, who was present, and the dog's whereabouts and actions leading up to the bite. This statement can be compared against other evidence and may reveal inconsistencies or admissions.
Gather Witness Statements
Make a detailed list of any witnesses to the attack with their full names and contact information. Statements from eyewitnesses can verify accounts of what happened and provide independent evidence of the dog's behavior and the owner's negligence.
When possible, ask witnesses to provide written or recorded statements about what they observed while the memory is fresh. These statements can become powerful evidence in negotiations or litigation.
If security cameras or witnesses captured video of the attack, preserve this footage immediately, as it may be erased or recorded over within days.
Keep All Evidence Together
Keep any damaged clothing, medical reports, veterinary records, photographs, or other evidence related to the animal attack. Do not throw anything away, as lawyers may request it later.
Create an organized file containing:
- The 24-hour report confirmation and screenshot
- All medical records, bills, and prescriptions
- All photographs of injuries and the scene
- Witness statements and contact information
- Official reports from police, animal control, and health departments
- Any communication with the dog owner or their insurance company
- Documentation of lost wages and out-of-pocket costs
- A daily pain and symptom journal
A timeline of all post-bite events, from the attack through medical visits, reports filed, and communications, helps lawyers and insurance adjusters understand the full scope of the case and strengthens your claim.
Understand Legal Rights and Options
If you are injured in an animal attack in New York, you have certain legal rights to recover damages from the animal's owner.
Under New York's expanded negligence standard established in the 2025 Flanders v. Goodfellow decision, victims no longer need to prove that a dog had a history of biting or aggression to recover damages. You can succeed by showing that the dog owner failed to use reasonable care in controlling the animal. Evidence such as violations of leash laws, broken fences, prior complaints to animal control, and the owner's failure to supervise the dog can all support a negligence claim.
Options to Recover Damages
As the victim of a dog bite or animal attack in New York, you may be entitled to:
- Payment of all medical bills, including future expenses expected from permanent disfigurement or disability
- Reimbursement for lost wages from missing work during recovery
- Monetary compensation for physical pain and emotional distress
- Compensation for scarring and disfigurement
- Damages for PTSD, anxiety, or other psychological trauma
- Loss of earning capacity if injuries prevent you from working at your previous capacity
- Punitive damages in severe attack cases
The statute of limitations for filing a personal injury lawsuit in New York is generally three years from the date of the bite. Claims involving public entities (such as municipal housing authorities) can have notice requirements as short as 90 days. Critical evidence such as surveillance footage, witness memories, and animal control records can disappear quickly if a lawyer is not involved early.
Consulting with a personal injury attorney like those at the Porter Law Group can help you understand and exercise your legal rights after an animal attack. We can determine viable options based on the specific details of your case.
FAQs
How fast do I have to report an animal bite in NYC?
You must report all animal bites in New York City within 24 hours of the event. This is a mandatory legal requirement under NYC Health Code § 11.03 that applies to every bite incident, regardless of severity.
The 24-hour window begins from the moment of the bite, not from when medical care is sought or when you realize the severity of the injury. You can report online through the NYC Health Department's animal bite reporting page, by calling 311, or by calling the Animal Bite Unit directly at 646-364-1799.
Failing to report within 24 hours can result in legal penalties, compromise your ability to receive proper medical care and rabies prevention protocols, and weaken or destroy your ability to pursue compensation later. If you miss the deadline, file a late report immediately and contact a New York dog bite lawyer to minimize consequences and protect your rights.
Who do I call to report a dog bite in New York State?
In New York City: Call 311 or report online at the NYC Health Department's animal bite reporting page. You can also call the Animal Bite Unit directly at 646-364-1799. For medical emergencies, call 911.
Outside New York City: Report the bite to your county health department. Find contact information for your local county health department at health.ny.gov. Most counties require reporting within 24 to 48 hours of the bite.
In all cases, you should also file a report with your local police department or animal control office to create an official police record. Request a copy of the full police report or case number, as this serves as important evidence for any legal claim.
For medical emergencies anywhere in New York State, call 911 immediately to get emergency medical care and have police respond to the scene.
What if the dog owner refuses to share vaccination records?
If the dog owner refuses to provide proof of rabies vaccination or veterinary records voluntarily, you have several options:
Report to Authorities: When you file your report with the NYC Health Department (via 311 or online) or your county health department, inform them that the owner refused to provide vaccination information. Health authorities have the power to require the owner to produce these records and to order rabies observation or testing.
Police Report: Include the owner's refusal in your police report. This refusal can be used as evidence of the owner's lack of cooperation and may support your claim that the owner was negligent.
Court Order: You can petition for a court order to obtain veterinary records, proof of prior complaints, or evidence that a veterinarian warned the owner about the dog's dangerous behavior. A New York dog bite lawyer can help you obtain this court order.
Medical Precautions: If the dog's vaccination status cannot be verified, your healthcare provider will likely recommend that you begin rabies post-exposure prophylaxis immediately, as rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. The dog should undergo a mandatory 10-day rabies observation period, either at the owner's home (if vaccinated) or at an appropriate facility like a veterinary hospital or animal shelter (if unvaccinated).
Legal Consequences for Owner: The owner's refusal to cooperate can strengthen your legal claim by demonstrating irresponsible ownership and potentially supporting punitive damages. Document all attempts to obtain records and the owner's refusal in writing.
Contact a New York dog bite lawyer immediately if the owner refuses to cooperate, as prompt legal action can compel the owner to produce necessary information and protect your rights.
Injured in an Animal Attack in New York?
Reach out to our legal team to know your options (free and non-obligatory).
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney After an Animal Attack in New York
If you or a loved one is injured in a dog bite or animal attack in New York, the experienced attorneys at the Porter Law Group can help protect your rights and pursue the maximum compensation available under the law.
Immediate, thorough reporting and evidence collection are not just public health requirements; they are essential steps in protecting your legal right to compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, scarring, and long-term disability.
Our team operates on a contingency fee basis, meaning no upfront costs for legal representation. We are fully committed to fighting for animal attack victims statewide through aggressive investigation and skilled negotiation. We understand both the traditional strict liability framework and the new negligence standard introduced by the 2025 Flanders decision, giving us multiple strategic paths to secure compensation for your injuries.
Victims who act promptly to seek medical care, report the bite within required timeframes, gather comprehensive evidence, and consult with a New York dog bite lawyer give themselves the strongest possible foundation for both medical recovery and legal compensation.
Contact us at 833-PORTER9 or email info@porterlawteam.com for a free, no-obligation case review. Our dedicated legal team is here to support you after an animal attack and prevent the liable owners and insurance companies from evading responsibility in New York.
