Determination of Best Methods of Temporary Identification of Horses During Disasters

University Hall Lobby

Natural disasters are becoming increasingly common and more erratic causing the safety of horses to be at risk. When natural disasters occur animals can be displaced. Although horses can be microchipped, in a natural disaster setting it could be hard to scan and identify each individual horse. That is why it is important for owners to put a form of temporary identification on the horse that can be seen from a distance, will not get weathered quickly, and will also not fall off. With so many options for temporary identification, it is critical to know which one would perform best in a natural disaster situation. In our research, sixteen types of temporary identification were applied to twelve horses. The condition of each product was monitored for a total of five weeks to determine which one was best suited for disaster situations. The visibility, presence, and depreciation of each product was monitored and compiled for the first four days of the study and then every week for five weeks. Our results showed that cattle ear tags braided into the tail had the best viability, least depreciation and most presence among all temporary identification devices. This finding rejects the hypothesis that animal identification inscription placed directly on the animal’s hair or skin will be readable for a longer duration than methods using a device. This study can help owners in choosing which temporary identification to use in a natural disaster situation.