Patent ID: 7578433

Claim:
A method for tracking animals utilizing a system, the method comprising: utilizing a system comprising, in combination: a weather-proof, light-weight, durable tag comprised of a front side and back side, bounded together by a continuous edge, said tag being provided with an opening therethrough; a bar code affixed to either said front side or said back side of said tag; a plurality of animal-specific information selectively encoded within said bar code, the information consisting of: an animal's name selectively encoded within said bar code; an animal's owner's name selectively encoded within said bar code; an animal's owner's address selectively encoded within said bar code; an animal's owner's telephone number selectively encoded within said bar code; an animal's medical history selectively encoded within said bar code; an animal's status selectively encoded within said bar code; an animal's location selectively encoded within said bar code; an indicia-bearing patch affixed to an opposite side of said tag from said bar code wherein said indicia-bearing patch provides visible information about said animal; a personal digital assistant having Internet access; a computer having a computer database, a central processing unit, and Internet access; and an animal collar removably receiving said tag; affixing said bar code onto said tag utilizing said personal digital assistant; affixing said tag onto an animal collar; selectively downloading said animal-specific information from said bar code into said computer database; selectively downloading said animal-specific information from said bar code stored in said computer database into a central processing unit; selectively downloading said animal-specific information from said personal digital assistant onto the Internet; selectively downloading said animal-specific information from said database downloaded onto said central processing unit onto the Internet; selectively accessing said animal-specific information stored on said personal digital assistant; selectively accessing said animal-specific information stored on said computer database; selectively accessing said animal-specific information stored on the Internet; exchanging said animal-specific information among animal caretakers; returning an animal to an animal caretaker.