Device and method for animal identification

Abstract

Methods and device for marking animals are disclosed. An ear tag configurable for attachment to a rodent ear, e.g., a mouse ear, is presented, wherein the ear tag includes a color-coded image, an alphanumeric character string, a bar code and/or a visual signage. The tag may include the visual identifier and an RFID device. A card may be provided that redundantly displays some or all of the visual identifier. An applicator is alternately or additionally provided that removes separated elements of the tag from a tray force generated by manual compression of a pair of handles of the applicator, and additionally includes jaws that compress towards each other when the handles are initially compressed, yet splay and release the tag elements as additional compressive force is applied to the handles.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An identification tag adapted for identifying a small animal comprising:
 (i) an outer element having an external surface and a second surface   wherein the distance between the external surface and the second surface is about one millimeter, having a display area of about four millimeters by four millimeters, and wherein the outer element has a single post extending from the second surface, the single post being adapted to pierce through an ear of a small animal,   (ii) a single post receiver detachably coupled with the single post, the single post receiver being adapted to receive the single post while the animal ear is disposed between the single post receiver and the second surface, and further adapted to shield the single post from damage due to abrasion by the small animal,   (iii) the outer element external surface substantively presenting a single predominant color and bearing one or more of a machine-readable image or a machine-readable radio device.   
     
     
         2 . The tag of  claim 1 , wherein the tag comprises a first identifying feature provided by the single predominant color that is visually adapted to permit one to identify small animals from their cage mates and further comprises a second identifying feature provided by one or more of the machine-readable image or machine-readable radio device, the image or radio device comprising coded information that may be scanned to identify individual animal member of a class of animals sharing the first identifying feature on their tag, wherein each the single predominant color for a plurality of outer elements comprises uniquely and alternatively colored tags,
 wherein the outer element further comprises a display plate comprised of or consisting of one or more of a polymer, a metal alloy, titanium, stainless steel, ceramic material, and the polymer when present comprises polyetheretherketone or another polymer or plastic material having similar hard, durable properties that provide a display plate with a surface resistant to animal claws and teeth.   
     
     
         3 . The tag of  claim 1 , wherein the single post receiver presents a second predominant color visually distinguishable from the single predominant color of the outer element external surface, whereby the combination of the single post receiver second predominant color and the outer element external surface single predominant color increases the magnitude of visually distinguishable combinations of single post receivers and outer elements. 
     
     
         4 . The tag of  claim 2 , wherein the machine-readable image comprises a bar code pattern, wherein the bar code pattern is adapted for uniquely identifying the animal by scanning the image with a bar code scanner. 
     
     
         5 . The tag of  claim 3 , comprising a two dimensional bar code that does not require a UV coating layer for durability. 
     
     
         6 . The tag of  claim 3 , wherein the tag exclusively presents only one chromatically distinct colored surface area outside of the bar code area. 
     
     
         7 . The tag of  claim 2 , wherein the visible receiver portion substantively presents a single color, the single color of the receiver portion being visually distinguishable from the single predominant color of the visible outer element portion. 
     
     
         8 . The tag of  claim 2 , wherein the tag comprises an RFID device, the RFID coded with a serial number for distinguishing the tag from a plurality of tags and the tag does not comprise a UV coating layer over the display plate. 
     
     
         9 . The tag of  claim 2 , wherein the tag is configured for attachment to an animal selected from the animal group consisting of a rodent, a mouse, a rat, a  felis domesticus , a mole, a vole, an opossum, and a rabbit and substantially all of the external surfaces of the tag comprise materials resistant to damage from claws and teeth of animals from this animal group. 
     
     
         10 . The tag of  claim 3 , wherein the tag weighs no more than 160 milligrams. 
     
     
         11 . The tag of  claim 10 , wherein the tag weighs less than 60 milligrams. 
     
     
         12 . The tag of  claim 2 , wherein the outer element is configured for separated positioning by a first arm of a tag applicator, and the attachment means is configured for separated positioning by a second arm of the tag applicator. 
     
     
         13 . The tag of  claim 1 , wherein the single post comprises a shaft that is constructed of a hard material resistant to damage from animal claws and teeth and the single post comprises a cutting tip adapted to pierce a small animal ear and to engage a receiver portion adapted for accepting and capturing the cutting tip to secure and anchor the shaft to the receiver portion and thereby provide a means for the shaft to pierce an animals ear, be extended through the animal's ear and anchor in the receiver for attaching the tag to an ear. 
     
     
         14 . The tag of  claim 13 , wherein the shaft further comprises a shaft element located distal from the cutting tip, and the receiver is securely attached to the shaft, wherein the animal ear is disposed between the receiver and the shaft element to thereby provide an identifying tag attached to the animal's ear. 
     
     
         15 . The tag of  claim 1 , further comprising an attachment feature of the receiver wherein the attachment feature is removably coupled with the single post of the outer element and the attachment feature is adapted to receive and maintain attachment with the outer element while an animal ear of a small host animal is disposed between the attachment feature and the outer element; and the tag further comprising an exposed metallic plate, the metallic plate being coupled with the outer element external surface and bearing a bar code pattern, whereby the tag is adapted for attachment to the animal ear and resistant to damage by the host animal and other animals. 
     
     
         16 . The tag of  claim 15 , wherein the bar code is a two dimensional bar code and the bar code display does not require a UV coating to be resistant to damage from small animal claws and teeth. 
     
     
         17 . The tag of  claim 15 , wherein the metallic plate comprises titanium or aluminum or anodized aluminum. 
     
     
         18 . The tag of  claim 15 , in combination with a card, the card visually presenting a duplicate representation of the bar code pattern, wherein the card is attached to a cage containing the animal. 
     
     
         19 . A method for identifying small animals, the method comprising the steps of:
 forming a small animal identification ear tag according to  claim 1  having at least two portions; and   attaching the small animal identification ear tag to an ear of the animal by piercing the ear of the animal with a single post portion of the ear tag and coupling the single post to the receiver portion of the tag wherein a portion of the ear of the animal is positioned between the two portions of the ear tag.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising coupling one of a plurality of ear tags to each of a plurality of small animals, wherein each ear tag comprises a unique combination of visually distinguishable color pairs, wherein each pair of portions of each ear tag presents a unique and visually distinct color pairing.