GB2257113A

GB2257113A - Animal tags

Info

Publication number: GB2257113A
Application number: GB9213919A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Victor John Clotworthy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-07-02
Filing date: 1992-06-30
Publication date: 1993-01-06
Also published as: IE912316A1; GB9213919D0

Abstract

The invention provides animal tags which are tamper-proof and watertight and which allow the animal license number, heath certificate and the address of the owner of the animal or like information to be displayed. The animal tag comprises a non-corroding body portion, and a see-through face, between which an information-bearing disc can be located, the face and the body being sealable together in a tamper-proof and watertight manner, and a means such as a wire loop to allow the tag to be fixed to the body of an animal. The see-through face may be provided by a magnifying glass. The information-bearing disc may have been detached from a perforated section of a license or certificate.

Description

"IMPROVEMENTS IN ANIMAL TAGS The present invention relates to improvements in animal tags, particularly animal tags which are tamper-proof and watertight and which allow the animal license number, health certificate and the address of the owner of the animal or like information to be displayed.

Animal licensing systems, and tags displaying the license number or the address of the owner of an animal are not new. However, currently known tags have certain disadvantages. In many cases it is possible to open the tag so that the license number on the tag can be altered thus allowing the owner to avoid buying a license for the current year. Some animal license tags come in a variety of colours, with a different colour for each year. However such tags can often be painted to the current year's colour thus allowing the owner to avoid buying a license.

Also, not all tags are waterproof so that the paper disc inside can become soaked with water and illegible if the animal gets wet.

An object of the present invention is to provide an animal tag which can be sealed to make it tamper-proof and permanently watertight.

According to the present invention there is provided an animal tag comprising a non-corroding body portion, and a see-through face, between which a disc can be located, the face and the body being sealable together in a watertight manner, and a means to allow the tag to be fixed to the body of an animal. Preferably the face of the tag is made of a clear magnifying glass so that the information contained within the tag can be easily read. The means to allow the tag to be fixed to the body of the animal may comprise a wire loop which can be fixed to a collar around the neck of the animal.

Alternatively, the loop may be fastenable to a portion of the animal's body such as the ear.

In one preferred embodiment, a license or certificate for the animal is printed on paper rather in the manner of a car or motorcycle tax disc. Relevant details on the animal are printed on a perforated section of the license or certificate which can be detached from the remainder of the certificate or license and placed within the tag.

The face of the tag is then sealed onto the body portion so that the disc cannot be removed. For example on a dog license, the month and year of the registration and the registration number of the animal could be printed on the disc. Alternatively, if the tag were being used to indicate that an animal had been tested for a particular disease or had been vaccinated against a certain disease, the date of the test and the result of the test or the date of the vaccination could be printed on the disc and then sealed within the tag.

Thus the invention has a number of applications. It makes it much easier for the authorities to determine whether or not a dog is licensed or whether or not the dog is a stray. It also means that stray or missing dogs could be returned to their owners if lost. The tag could also be used to mark cattle which had been tested for disease and to prevent unhealthy animals being slaughtered for consumption. Such examples are, however, not limiting and the animal tag has many other applications.

Claims

1. An animal tag comprising a non-corroding body portion, and a see-through face, between which an information-bearing disc can be located, the face and the body being sealable together in a tamper-proof and watertight manner, and a means to allow the tag to be fixed to the body of an animal.

2. An animal tag as claimed in claim 1 wherein the face of the tag is made of a clear magnifying glass.

3. An animal tag as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the means to allow the tag to be fixed to the body of the animal comprises a wire loop which can be fixed to a collar around the neck of the animal.

4. An animal tag as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the means to allow the tag to be fixed to the body of the animal comprises a wire loop which may be fastenable to a portion of the animal's body such as the ear.

5. A kit of parts comprising an animal tag and an informationbearing disc wherein the animal tag comprises a non-corroding body portion, and a see-through face, between which the information-bearing disc can be located, the face and the body being sealable together in a tamper-proof and watertight manner, and a means to allow the tag to be fixed to the body of an animal and the information-bearing disc being detachable from a perforated section of a license or certificate.