Animals- Record Ownership Change

Claiming ownership of specimens that already exist in ZIMS

The basic concept for adding ownership changes to an existing record (even if you were not the first to register it into ZIMS) is that your institution can record a transaction against the specimens global record. You do so under the tab in this animals record called “My Transactions”. This tab will display only the records that your institution has knowledge of…such as a birth loan event for an animal owned by your institution but is physically born elsewhere.

Conceptually, ZIMS tracks a specimens records in two parts: "Physicality" and "Ownership". Think about these aspects as two parts to a whole; for any one GAN these two parts need to be defined.

Three physical/ownership scenarios are possible:

Do you both: physically hold the animal and legally own the animal?

Do you only: physically hold the animal but do not have the legal title of ownership?

Do you: Legally own the record of the animal but do not have the animal physically in your keep?

NOTE: In ZIMS, only one MNEMONIC can be provided the title of owner, even if your true agreement states a different arrangement (shared partial ownership), for the purposes of data management in ZIMS only one institution can be defined as the true owner of the record.

To record an ownership transaction for an animal already accessioned in ZIMS
(animal already has a GAN provided when holding institution accessioned the birth)

Animal Global Search->Filter By Institution/Local ID->Open Record->Confirm Animal Record

In the Animals application, run a global search

Filter your search by the holding institutions local ID, Name/MNEMONIC, and taxonomy

Run your search

Identify the record for the animal you wish to add a transaction “physical loan out”

The record will open in its own tab

Confirm Basic Information->Open My Transactions Tab

Confirm the basic animal details to be sure this is the animal you are looking for. Note, if the accessioning institution did NOT correctly register you as the owner, your information may not be present in the basic animal info screen yet

Open the “My Transactions” tab for this animals record to add your transaction

Add Transaction->Acquisitions->Choose Type of Ownership Event (Birth/Hatch for Example)

Under My Transactions, choose to add an Accession>Birth/Hatch event

Define Terms Change->Provide remaining required details->Add to Transaction List

Set the Acquire Ownership flag by defining the change of Terms from the data standard list. Provide the correct birth information and the MNEMONIC/Local ID provided during the initial accession event by the Holder- this detail can be found on the Basic Information screen

Add the Transaction to the queue of your recorded transactions for this animal

Save All Changes

Finally “Save” the transaction and confirm the details of the specimen are now showing accurately as per your records

Best Practices Advice

This may generate a “pending transaction” that the original holding institution will have to approve/deny depending on their perception of the state of this ownership of this specimen. Be sure to contact them and let them know you are updating the record in case you believe any conflict of interest may arise.

Revised 5 March 2025
* Species360 Organizational name change added on 07/18/2016