If the dog’s owner was disobeying a New York City dog law at the time of the attack, is the owner automatically liable?

In New York, in order to collect dog-bite damages beyond medical bills, you need to prove that the owner was negligent. In other words, you need to show that the owner did something wrong or failed to do something he or she should have done.

Violation of an NYC municipal dog ordinance – such as the leash law – may be used as evidence of negligence, but does not constitute negligence per se.