A total of 634 Londoners were badly bitten by a dog last year - and a further 230 were attacked by other mammals such as rats, foxes, cats and horses.
Figures released today by the NHS showed the number of animal attacks on humans requiring admission to hospital increased by seven per cent in England from 9,080 to 9,710 cases.
London had the third lowest rate in the country, behind Kent, and Surrey and Sussex. Attacks were most common in Merseyside, Durham and Darlington.
The analysis, by the Health and Social Care Information Centre, found people living in deprived areas were three times more likely to be victims of animal attacks than those in the most affluent areas.
Dog bites accounted for 6,740 admissions, while other mammals were responsible for 2,970 - up 10 per cent on the previous 12-month period.
The most common injury (2,559 cases) was an open wound of the hand or wrist. Children were more likely to suffer head injuries. Plastic surgery was required in 3,368 cases.
The figures exclude incidents involving marine animals, crocodile, alligator and other reptiles due to the difficulty of collating data.
Kingsley Manning, chair of the HSCIC, said the report - which relates to the 12 months until the end of January - was the first to show the link between animal attacks and poverty.
He said: “We know that dog bite rates are particularly high among young children. As we head towards the summer months, when admission rates for dog bites are at their highest, these trends may be worth further study by healthcare organisations and public sector bodies.”
