Bitten by the Numbers: A Data Story on NYC Dogs

Flavia Jiang, Curtis Xu, Xinyi Zhou

Have you ever wondered where and when dogs bite the most in New York City? From quiet neighborhoods in Queens to bustling blocks in Manhattan, more than 28,000 dog bite incidents were reported across the five boroughs between 2015 and 2023. Using data from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH), we dive deep into these reports to uncover trends and surprising patterns.

In this article, you'll find breakdowns of dog bite incidents by breed, age, gender, spaying or neutering status, time of year, and neighborhood. Whether you're a dog owner hoping to prevent aggressive behavior or a city dweller just trying to steer clear of risky encounters, our goal is to provide insights that are both informative and practical. Understanding when, where, and under what circumstances dogs are most likely to bite can help all of us — humans and dogs — coexist a little more safely in this crowded city.

1. Are These Breeds Friendlier (or Bite-ier) Than You Expected?

Which breeds bite more or less than expected? We compared bite frequency scores — normalized by the number of licensed dogs per breed — with owner-rated aggressiveness scores from the 2024 Forbes Advisor Pet Insurance Survey, where higher scores reflect greater perceived aggressiveness.

Breeds like American Bulldogs and German Shepherds bite in line with owner perceptions. Golden and Labrador Retrievers bite more than expected, while Miniature Schnauzers and Pomeranians bite less than expected. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and Havanese are gentle as expected.

This chart is meant to inform, not stereotype. Hover over the bars or use the sorting buttons at the top of the chart to explore the patterns for yourself!

2. Spaying or Neutering Makes Dogs Over 2x Less Likely to Bite

Spaying and neutering are strongly linked to reduced biting behavior in dogs. Hover over the nodes to explore each data point. As shown in the chart, spayed female dogs are 2.5 times less likely to bite than unspayed females, and neutered male dogs are 2.9 times less likely to bite than their unneutered counterparts.

For the safety of your dog, yourself, and your community, spaying or neutering is worth considering. It also offers additional health benefits. Learn more in this article from the American Veterinary Medical Association.

3. Growing Up Means Biting Less—for Dogs, Too

Age is a strong predictor of bite frequency. As shown in the chart, there's a clear downward trend, indicating that dogs tend to bite less as they get older. Hover over the nodes to explore bite rates by age. Notably, dogs aged one year or younger are 2.37 times more likely to bite than the average across all ages — and a staggering 237 times more likely to bite than 21-year-old dogs!

So, keep a close eye on your puppies! Early training and behavior correction are key to preventing aggressive tendencies. Socializing your dog, reinforcing calm behavior, and being consistent with discipline can make a big difference as they grow.

4. Any relationships Between Dog Bites & External Environmental Factors?

Relationship between temperature and number of bites

The line graphs show a clear correlation between rising temperatures and an increase in dog bites, suggesting that dogs may become more aggressive in hot weather, leading to pent-up energy and frustration. This trend highlights the potential impact of seasonal temperature changes on dog behavior and bite incidents, warranting further investigation into underlying causes and preventive measures.

Relationship between precipitation and number of bites

The line graphs also demonstrate no significant correlation between the number of dog bites and precipitation Levels. Over the years, the pattern of precipitation changes has fluctuated considerably. This may be due to the fact that dog walking habits remain relatively consistent regardless of humidity. Alternatively, factors such as temperature or human activity patterns may have a greater impact on bite incidents than rainfall alone.

Special Finding
A Sharp decline between 2020 and 2021

The number of dog bites dropped significantly in April 2020, even as temperatures rose—a trend that diverges from the typical seasonal pattern. This anomaly coincides with the onset of COVID-19 lockdowns, suggesting that reduced outdoor activity and fewer dog walks during quarantine likely contributed to the decline. This observation highlights how human behavior, not just environmental factors like temperature, can influence bite incidents.

5. The Bite Map: Explore Dog Bites and its potential spatial factors

This interactive map invites New York City residents to explore patterns in dog bite incidents, alongside contextual factors such as dog population density and the presence of open spaces and parks. By toggling between data layers and visualizing bite frequency by ZIP code, users can begin to understand where bites happen—and what might influence them.

Two key findings emerged from this data:

1. Dog bite frequency does not directly correlate with dog population density.
Some ZIP codes with the highest numbers of dogs report only moderate or even low bite incidents. This suggests that a high dog population alone is not a reliable predictor of bite risk.

2. Open spaces and park access may be associated with bite frequency—but not consistently.
The ZIP code with the highest number of recorded dog bites also contains over 20 parks and open spaces. While this suggests a potential link between public gathering areas and bite frequency, the pattern does not hold true across all neighborhoods, indicating that additional social or environmental factors may be at play.

In addition to area-based insights, this map offers a unique tool for breed-specific spatial analysis. Users can click on breed icons to identify the ZIP codes where each breed has the highest bite rate, providing a visual sense of territorial bite dominance. This feature may also help shed light on perceived aggressiveness patterns among certain breeds. Together, these layers empower NYC residents to better understand when and where dog bites are most likely to occur—and to consider how urban context, breed characteristics, and public space usage may intersect in complex ways.

Over the course of this project, we analyzed over 28,000 dog bite incidents in NYC from 2015 to 2023. We explored patterns across breed, age, gender, spaying and neutering status, time, and neighborhood, revealing how biting behaviors can vary widely based on both biological and environmental factors. Some breeds bite more than expected, younger dogs bite far more frequently than older ones, and spaying or neutering significantly reduces the likelihood of a bite. We also saw how temperature, urban context, and the pandemic shaped bite trends across the city.

Dog bites are often preventable with the right awareness and care. For example, owners can reduce the risk by spaying or neutering their dogs, which significantly lowers the likelihood of aggressive behavior. Early training and proper supervision are also essential. Neighbors and passersby should always ask permission before approaching a dog, move calmly, and never tease or provoke. If a bite occurs, clean the wound and report it promptly. For more safety tips, visit the NYC Department of Health Dog Bites page.

Together, we can make NYC safer for both people and pets. A little knowledge and care go a long way!