Animal identification

Collars and Identification (ID) Tags
Common tags worn on the collar include:
 * Rabies tag
 * Dog or Cat license
 * Individualized identification tag

Tag informnation:
 * Pet's name
 * Owner's name and address
 * Telephone numbers (day and evening)
 * Medical problem requiring medication
 * Veterinarian's name and number
 * Current Rabies vaccination information
 * Reward offer should pet become lost

Collar information:
 * Use an indelible pen to write a phone number on the collar itself. You can order broad buckle nylon collars with your phone number stitched into the collar.

National tag registries include:
 * 911-Pets Lost Pet Service Chicago: (312) 890-4911
 * Petfinders New York: (800) 666-LOST or (800) 666-5678
 * Pet Find Inc., Oregon: (800) AID-A-PET

Microchip Identification System
Microchipping involves implanting a tiny capsule under the pet's skin, in mammals, usually between the shoulder blades. Microchips can be used on dogs, cats, ferrets, birds, and other companion pets. The tiny chip is about the size of a grain of rice. The owner then sends the information to a registering agency along with current contact and alternate contact information in the event the pet becomes lost. When a pet is found, any agency with a scanner, including many animal care and control agencies, veterinary clinics, and research labs, can quickly identify a code that links the animal to its owner through a national database.

Microchip manufacturers and registries include:
 * AVID chips in California: (714) 371-7505; nationwide (800) 336-AVID or (800) 434-2843.
 * Destron Fearing: Destron chips are marketed by Schering-Plough Animal Health and the database is maintained by the American Kennel Club: (800) 252-7894.
 * IdentIchip in Scottsdale, AZ: (800) 926-1313 (uses AVID and Destron chips). (National and International Registries provide programs for breeders, shelters, and vets.)
 * InfoPet in Pennsylvania: (612) 890-2080 or (800) 463-6738 (uses Trovan chips) and is endorsed by American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
 * Home AgainTM, microchip registry in conjunction with the AKC (for both purebred and mixed breed dogs): (800) 252-7894 or info@akc.org

more details below

Tattoo Identification System
Tattooing is a permanent ID system that involves marking a code on the skin of the pet. A tattoo is placed in the pet's ear, abdomen, or on the inside of the pet's thigh. The finder of the lost pet calls a national database that uses the code to obtain the owner's current address and phone number. Each registry has its own coding system. This is an invaluable form of identification should a pet be stolen for research, since laboratories will instantly know the animal is not abandoned but a beloved pet.

To look for a tattoo on the abdomen or thigh, lay the dog on her side. One person may stroke and calm the dog while the other gently lifts the dog's hind leg to examine the belly and thigh. Sometimes, the tattoo may be difficult to read, and it is often necessary to clip away the hair. If you have difficulty reading a tattoo, contact your veterinarian.

There are several national organizations that register tattoos: (they generally also register microchips) National Dog Registry (NDR) New York: (800) 637-3647 / (800) NDR-DOGS. Usually, people register their social security number with the NDR. However, they will register any number.

Tattoo-A-Pet is a National Registry: (800) 828-8667

U.S. Found Maryland: (410) 557-7332

The American Kennel Club (AKC) will help locate the owner if the dog is tattooed with the AKC number: (800) 252-7894. An AKC tattoo normally has two letters, then 6 digits and a two digit trailer, e.g., HM 010101-01 or HM 010101/01 or HM 01010101.

ID Pet: (800) 243-9147 or (203) 327-3157. ID pet numbers normally begin with an "X" National Greyhound Association (NGA) is the registry for racing greyhounds: (913) 263-4660. Racing greyhounds are always identified by tattoos in both ears. The right ear tattoo is a two or three digit number followed by a letter. The month of birth is indicated by the first one or two digits, the year of birth within the decade by the last digit. The letter is the individual identification within the litter. The left ear tattoo is a five digit number which is the hound's litter number. For example, the right ear may read 123E, and the left ear may read 45678.

Canadian Kennel Club (CKC): (416) 675-5511. Dogs bred in Canada and registered with the Canadian Kennel Club are generally tattooed in one ear or the flank. The tattoo is made up of three parts. First is a three character letter-number sequence which is the identification code of the breeder. This is followed by a number which is generated sequentially and refers to the number of dogs the breeder has registered that year, this is followed by a letter representing the year the dog was born. These letters are determined by CKC and some letters are not used. The most significant part is the initial, three character letter-number sequence. This identifies the breeder. An example of a CKC number: 7MR 1 C.

Companion birds banding and ID

 * Open bands: Open bands are put on adult birds using a tool that crimps the metal around the leg. This type is typically used on older, imported birds after they finish their quarantine. The band will have a mark identifying the quarantine station.
 * Closed bands: Closed bands are slipped over the feet of young birds who then grow into the band. The band is engraved with a combination of design, numbers, or letters to identify the bird's breeder and sometimes the date of birth.
 * Microchips: Microchips such as those used in dogs and cats are also available for identifying birds, and can be used in addition to a leg band. The chip is about the size of a grain of rice and is inserted with a needle into the breast muscle.

Horse identification
see http://www.thehorse.com/viewarticle.aspx?ID=6887

RFID News

 * RFID News
 * RFID Times Blog
 * Newsweek June 12, 2006
 * ...in July, Bayer HealthCare plans to start selling ResQ, a universal scanner that can read all brands of pet microchips. It's already shipping 20,000 free ones to shelters and pet hospitals nationwide.

Terminology

 * FDX:Full duplex
 * FDX-A:
 * FDX-B:
 * FECAVA:
 * HDX:Half duplex
 * ISO 11784 & 11785 Standards
 * These standards regulate the Radio frequency identification of animals in regards to Code Structure and Technical concept.
 * A true ISO microchip has a 64 bit content resulting in a 15 digit numeric ID code of which the first 3 digits is the manufacturer’s code that operates using FDX-B technology at a frequency of 134.2 kHz.
 * RFID News Discussion
 * RFID News Short Discussion


 * Microchip:  Microchips are distributed by many different companies under several different names, making it appear as though there are many different kinds of microchips. Although there is a minimum of six manufacturers producing companion animal microchips, there are only three kinds (standards) used in North America; FECAVA, ISO and AVID Encrypted. FECAVA and ISO are distributed in Canada. FECAVA and AVID Encrypted are distributed in the USA. In Canada, FECAVA is also referred to as the Canadian Standard, FDX-A, 125 KHz, Annex A of ISO standard 11785, the Euro-chip, the AVID FriendChip, PetNet and Anitech chip. The ISO standard is also referred to as FDX-B, 134.2 KHz, the Allflex, EIDAP and 24PetWatch chip. Microchip4Solutions distribute both FECAVA and ISO microchips.
 * Reader: aka Scanner
 * RFID:Radio Frequency Identification (Device, Microchip)
 * Scanner: Common scanner names are Destron, Mini Trackers, Pocket readers, Digital Angel, Identifiers, Allflex and Datamars readers
 * Transponder: Microchip transponder

Cat breed identification

 * Breed profiles & standards
 * MessyBeast.com
 * Cat colours and patterns
 * Cat Breeds (Recognized/Unrecognized, Common/Obscure), Variants, Mutations, Hybrids, Archaic/Alternate Names.

Dog breed identification

 * AKC pure breed wall chart

Facts about chips

 * PetLocator.org

Rescues

 * AKC Companion Animal Recovery
 * Stealth Volunteers

Vendors

 * 1-800-HELP-4-PETS
 * 8721 Santa Monica Blvd., Ste. 710
 * Los Angeles, CA 90069
 * 1- 800- 435- 7473
 * Fax: 310- 652- 2022
 * E-mail: 
 * http://www.help4pets.com/


 * 24PetWatch (10 alphanumeric ID starting with OA)
 * Pet Health, Inc.
 * AllFlex Injectable ISO FDX-B code 982
 * Reader - AllFlex Portable
 * Registry online http://www.24petwatch.com/
 * Registry 1-866-597-2424 any kind of chip can be registered


 * Allflex USA
 * Electronic ID Technology
 * Electronic ID Readers


 * AVID (15-digit ISO, 10 alphanumeric, and 9-digit encrypted IDs) - 125kHz and 134.2kHz microchips
 * Avid Identification Systems, Inc.
 * aka American Veterinary Identification Devices
 * Registry - PETTRAC 1-800-336-2843 ext. 5 (24 Hour) Leave a message if you get the machine. https://www.avidid.com/
 * Microchips injected at animal shelters and veterinary clinics.


 * Banfield the Pet Hospital - 134 kHz microchip
 * animal health clinics at PetsMart stores
 * http://banfield.net/


 * Campbell Pet Company
 * P.O. Box 122
 * Brush Prairie, WA 98606
 * 1 -800 -228 -6364
 * Fax: 360 -944 -9999
 * E-mail: 
 * http://www.campbellpet.com/


 * Crystal Import Corporation
 * 302 Cahaba Valley Cir.
 * Pelham, AL 35124
 * 1-866-302-7343 (205)942-0011
 * Fax:(205)942-0770
 * E-mail: 
 * http://www.crystaltag.com/
 * Pet registation: http://www.petlink.net/


 * Digital Angel Corporation
 * was Destron-Fearing
 * http://www.digitalangelcorp.com/
 * Customer service - 1-800-328-0118 obtain a free loaner scanner for your travel in country locations that do not have HomeAgain scanners.
 * In the U.S. products are distributed by Schering-Plough Animal Health Corp. as the HomeAgain® Pet Recovery Service.


 * EiDAP Inc.
 * 1-888-346-8899, (780) 467-2707
 * http://www.eidap.com/
 * microchips operating at 128 (Trovan Unique) or 134.2 (ISO) kHz
 * Registry http://registry.eidap.com/


 * HomeAgain® (10 alphanumeric ID) - 125 kHz microchip
 * HomeAgain® Pet Recovery Service
 * distributed by Schering-Plough Animal Health Corp.
 * manufactured by Digital Angel Corporation
 * Info 1-800-521-5767
 * http://www.homeagainpets.com/
 * Microchips are injected at veterinary clinics
 * Microchip is comprised of 48 bits resulting in a 10-alphanumeric ID that does not contain Digital Angel's manufacturer's code and operates using FDX-A technology at a frequency of 125 kHz.
 * Registry prior to 2005 - American Kennel Club
 * Registry - 1-866-738-4324 Press 1, 2 (24 Hr) http://www.homeagainid.com/


 * Microchip ID
 * 1-800-434-2843
 * Registry - Identichip - 1-800-926-1313 - http://www.identichip.com/ Any type of chip can be registered


 * Microchip4Solutions Inc. (M4S ID)
 * http://www.microchipsolutions.com/
 * 1-877-738-4384
 * Distributes FDX A (FECAVA) and NCAC approved FDX B ISO microchips
 * Reader - Petscan V2
 * used by veterinarians and humane societies across Canada
 * Registry https://www.microchipsolutions.com/secure/registration.html


 * Pet-ID
 * United Kingdom
 * http://www.pet-id.net/
 * Registry - Pet Log UK - http://www.petlog.org.uk
 * Registry - PetTrac UK - http://www.avidplc.com/


 * Schering-Plough Animal Health Corporation
 * distribute HomeAgain products for Digital Angel Corp
 * Customer Service - 1-800-521-5767 call to purchase scanner.


 * TabBand Identification
 * 2320 W. Holly St.
 * Phoenix, AZ 85009
 * 1 -800 -521 -5123
 * Fax: 602 -253 -7148
 * E-mail: 
 * http://www.tabband.com/