Pet registration, search and retrieval system

• US 6,792,465 B1
• Filed: 01/14/2000
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Deborah Tate Welsh Trust
• Original Assignee: Deborah Tate Welsh
• Inventors: Welsh, Deborah Tate
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Application Number:
  US09/483,172
• Time in Patent Office: 1,705 Days
• Field of Search: 709/225, 709/229, 709/217
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

A nationwide, web-based pet registration, search and retrieval system. The system is implemented with a host computer (10) that may be accessed by users operating user computers (12) via a communications network (14) such as the Internet. Pet owners may register their pets with the host computer and finders of lost pets may search the host computer in an attempt to locate the owners of lost pets.

Claims

1. A method of locating lost pets comprising the steps of:

(a) issuing a rabies tag to a pet, the rabies tag displaying information comprising a veterinarian name, a veterinarian'"'"'s phone number, alpha-numeric digits that identify the pet, and a listed year corresponding to when the tag was issued;

(b) submitting the rabies tag information relating to the pet and pet owner contact information to a computer-readable memory accessible by a host computer, whereby a submitting party is selected from the group consisting of a veterinarians and pet owners;

(c) storing the rabies tag information and the pet owner contact information in a computer-readable memory accessible by a host computer;

(d) issuing a second tag to a pet that provides information to a person who finds a lost pet on how to access the host computer via a communications network and to enter the rabies tag information relating to the lost pet;

(e) comparing in the host computer, the rabies tag information, entered by the person who found the pet, to the submitted rabies tag information relating to the pet in an attempt to find a match; and

(f) providing the person who found the lost pet with the contact information for the owner of the lost pet if a match is found.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the communications network includes the Internet.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the contact information comprises information selected from the group consisting of the pet owner'"'"'s name, the pet owner'"'"'s address, and the pet owner'"'"'s telephone number.

4. A computer program stored on a computer-readable memory device for operating a computer to aid in locating lost pets, the computer program comprising:

(a) a code segment for receiving pet rabies tag information, pet information relating to pets, and contact information for the pet owners, as provided by a party selected from the group consisting of a veterinarians and pet owners;

(b) a code segment for storing the rabies tag information, the pet information, and the contact information in computer-readable memory accessible by a host computer;

(c) a code segment for permitting a person who finds a pet to access the host computer via a communications network from information on a second tag issued to the pet and to enter rabies tag information relating to the lost pet;

(d) a code segment for comparing the rabies tag information entered by the person who found the pet to the rabies tag information provided by the pet owners or the veterinarians in an attempt to find a match; and

(e) a code segment for providing the person who found the lost pet with the contact information for the owner of the lost pet if a match is found.

5. The computer program as set forth in claim 4, wherein the rabies tag information provided by the pet owners or the veterinarians for each pet includes, alpha-numeric digits corresponding to the pet, a year on the tag, a name for the pet'"'"'s veterinarian, and a phone number for the pet'"'"'s veterinarian.

6. The computer program as set forth in claim 5, wherein the rabies tag information entered by the person who found the lost pet includes, the alpha-numeric digits on the rabies tag that correspond to the pet, the name for the pet'"'"'s veterinarian, the phone number for the pet'"'"'s veterinarian, and the year on the tag.

7. The computer program as set forth in claim 4, wherein the communications network includes the Internet.

8. The computer program as set forth in claim 4, wherein the pet information comprises information selected from the group consisting of a pet'"'"'s name, an indication of a pet type for the pet, an indication of a breed of the pet, and a color of the pet.

9. The computer program as set forth in claim 4, wherein the contact information comprises information selected from the group consisting of the pet owner'"'"'s name, the pet owner'"'"'s address, and the pet owner'"'"'s telephone number.

12. The host computer as set forth in claim 7, wherein the lost pet information entered by the person who found the lost pet includes, the alpha-numeric digits on the rabies tag that correspond to the pet, the name for the pet'"'"'s veterinarian, the year on the tag, and the phone number for the pet'"'"'s veterinarian.

10. A host computer accessible via a communications network to aid in locating lost pets, the host computer being programmed to:

(a) receive rabies tag information, pet information relating to pets, and contact information for the pet owners, provided by a party selected from the group consisting of pet owners and veterinarians;

(b) store the rabies tag information, the pet information, and the contact information in a computer-readable memory accessible by a host computer;

(c) permit a person who finds a pet to access the host computer via a communications network from information on a second tag issued to the pet and to enter rabies tag information relating to the lost pet;

(d) compare the rabies tag information entered by the person who found the pet to the rabies tag information provided by the pet owners or the veterinarians in an attempt to find a match; and

(e) provide the person who found the lost pet with the contact information for the owner of the lost pet if a match is found.

11. The host computer as set forth in claim 10, wherein the rabies tag information provided by the pet owners or the veterinarians for each pet includes, alpha-numeric digits corresponding to the pet, a name for the pet'"'"'s veterinarian, a phone number for the pet'"'"'s veterinarian, and a year on the tag.

13. The host computer as set forth in claim 10, wherein the communications network includes the Internet.

14. The host computer as set forth in claim 10, wherein the pet information comprises information selected from the group consisting of a pet'"'"'s name, an indication of a pet type for the pet, an indication of a breed of the pet, and a color of the pet.

15. The host computer as set forth in claim 10, wherein the contact information comprises information selected from the group consisting of the pet owner'"'"'s name, the pet owner'"'"'s address, and the pet owner'"'"'s telephone number.