Dog bites rising in S.F.
What happened
Dog‑bite incidents are increasing in parts of San Francisco, and the Tenderloin is seeing a particularly sharp spike—raising safety and public‑health concerns for city neighborhoods. Officials point to rising incidents as a reminder to reinforce vaccinations and safe pet interactions. (missionlocal.org)
Why it matters
SFPD told Mission Local it only began keeping a dedicated dog‑bite record in mid‑2024 and documented 446 bites that year and 1,033 reported bites in 2025. (missionlocal.org/2026/03/sf-dog-bites-rising-tenderloin) Captain Matt Sullivan reported that in a recent four‑month span more than 27% of the department’s dog‑bite reports occurred in the Tenderloin police district. (missionlocal.org/2026/03/sf-dog-bites-rising-tenderloin) Tenderloin officers said they ran an enforcement operation in February that produced 11 citations in a single Sunday for dogs being off‑leash or unregistered. (missionlocal.org/2026/03/sf-dog-bites-rising-tenderloin) An SFPD press release says officers were flagged down after a large off‑leashed dog bit a person near Market and O’Farrell on November 9, 2025, an incident that led to an officer‑involved shooting. (sanfranciscopolice.org/news/officer-involved-shooting-tenderloin-district-25-138) Local nonprofits and clinics have responded with vaccine outreach: the SF SPCA reported that a February 3 clinic served 76 dogs and a second free vaccine clinic was scheduled for March 3. (sfspca.org/press-releases/sf-spca-launches-second-free-dog-vaccine-clinic-on-march-3rd-following-successful-february-event) San Francisco Animal Care & Control lists $10 rabies shots and $10 DAPP vaccines (both for $15) at its low‑cost clinics, and its bite‑report page directs people to file a bite report and call SFACC dispatch at 415‑554‑9400 for animal control response. (sfanimalcare.org/services/vet-clinics) (sfanimalcare.org/services/animal-welfare/report-dog-bite-aggressive-animal) Street‑outreach groups like Full Belly Bus say they run twice‑monthly pop‑up veterinary clinics providing vaccinations, rabies certificates, microchips, leashes and other supplies for pets of people experiencing homelessness. (fullbellybus.org/low-cost-resources)
Key numbers
- (missionlocal.org) SFPD told Mission Local it only began keeping a dedicated dog‑bite record in mid‑2024 and documented 446 bites that year and 1,033 reported bites in 2025.
- (missionlocal.org/2026/03/sf-dog-bites-rising-tenderloin) Captain Matt Sullivan reported that in a recent four‑month span more than 27% of the department’s dog‑bite reports occurred in the Tenderloin police district.
- (missionlocal.org/2026/03/sf-dog-bites-rising-tenderloin) Tenderloin officers said they ran an enforcement operation in February that produced 11 citations in a single Sunday for dogs being off‑leash or unregistered.
- (missionlocal.org/2026/03/sf-dog-bites-rising-tenderloin) An SFPD press release says officers were flagged down after a large off‑leashed dog bit a person near Market and O’Farrell on November 9, 2025, an incident that led to an officer‑involved shooting.
Sources
- missionlocal.org
- sanfranciscopolice.org/news/officer-involved-shooting-tenderloin-district-25-138
- sfspca.org/press-releases/sf-spca-launches-second-free-dog-vaccine-clinic-on-march-3rd-following-successful-february-event
- sfanimalcare.org/services/vet-clinics
- sfanimalcare.org/services/animal-welfare/report-dog-bite-aggressive-animal
- fullbellybus.org/low-cost-resources
Quick answers
What happened in Dog bites rising in S.F.?
Dog‑bite incidents are increasing in parts of San Francisco, and the Tenderloin is seeing a particularly sharp spike—raising safety and public‑health concerns for city neighborhoods. Officials point to rising incidents as a reminder to reinforce vaccinations and safe pet interactions. (missionlocal.org)
Why does Dog bites rising in S.F. matter?
SFPD told Mission Local it only began keeping a dedicated dog‑bite record in mid‑2024 and documented 446 bites that year and 1,033 reported bites in 2025. (missionlocal.org/2026/03/sf-dog-bites-rising-tenderloin) Captain Matt Sullivan reported that in a recent four‑month span more than 27% of the department’s dog‑bite reports occurred in the Tenderloin police district. (missionlocal.org/2026/03/sf-dog-bites-rising-tenderloin) Tenderloin officers said they ran an enforcement operation in February that produced 11 citations in a single Sunday for dogs being off‑leash or unregistered. (missionlocal.org/2026/03/sf-dog-bites-rising-tenderloin) An SFPD press release says officers were flagged down after a large off‑leashed dog bit a person near Market and O’Farrell on November 9, 2025, an incident that led to an officer‑involved shooting. (sanfranciscopolice.org/news/officer-involved-shooting-tenderloin-district-25-138) Local nonprofits and clinics have responded with vaccine outreach: the SF SPCA reported that a February 3 clinic served 76 dogs and a second free vaccine clinic was scheduled for March 3. (sfspca.org/press-releases/sf-spca-launches-second-free-dog-vaccine-clinic-on-march-3rd-following-successful-february-event) San Francisco Animal Care & Control lists $10 rabies shots and $10 DAPP vaccines (both for $15) at its low‑cost clinics, and its bite‑report page directs people to file a bite report and call SFACC dispatch at 415‑554‑9400 for animal control response. (sfanimalcare.org/services/vet-clinics) (sfanimalcare.org/services/animal-welfare/report-dog-bite-aggressive-animal) Street‑outreach groups like Full Belly Bus say they run twice‑monthly pop‑up veterinary clinics providing vaccinations, rabies certificates, microchips, leashes and other supplies for pets of people experiencing homelessness. (fullbellybus.org/low-cost-resources)
