Dispositions in ZIMS

How to disposition specimens in ZIMS

 

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Dispositions are found under the My Transactions tab > Add Transactions > Dispositions.

 

Modes of Dispositions

• Death – the animal dies
• Merge Two Individuals/Groups Into a New Group – two individuals or groups are merged to create a new group. See Aquatics Index – Group Management
• Merge Animals(s) Into a Group – animals are merged into an existing group. See Aquatics Index – Group Management
• Missing – the animal is missing
• Release to Wild – the animal is intentionally released to the wild
• To Another Institution – the animal is sent to another institution
• Undetermined/Indeterminate – very little is known, the animal could have been dispositioned using any of the other modes

 

In addition, Record Holder Change allows you to report a change in the Holder for an animal Out on Loan or Lease.

 

The graphics in the Disposition screens provide a visual of how the Disposition will affect the Ownership and Physical status of the animal.

         

Death

Date – This is the date that the animal died. If recorded in the Husbandry module first, the Date of Death will pre-fil into the Submission tab of the necropsy module.

Discovered Date – This is the date that the death was discovered. If it is different from the Date, the Date may have to be estimated.

Manner of Death – This is a single select drop down list that differentiates between natural death and euthanasia. This field will autofill into the Manner of Death field in the Submission tab in the Necropsy module in ZIMS Medical.

Relevant Death Information – This is a multiple select cascading drop down to select issues relevant to the death of the animal. Issues not contributing to the death should not be selected. This field will autofill into the Relevant Death Information field in the Finalize tab in the Necropsy module in ZIMS Medical.

Primary Body System Affected – This is a single select drop down to indicate the primary system affected. This field will autofill into the Primary Body System Affected field in the Finalize tab in the Necropsy module in ZIMS Medical.

Carcass Disposition – This is a single select drop down to record what was done with the body. If you want to create samples, select “Sent Out (Part or Whole Body)” – note, this was previously termed “Convert to Sample”. This field will autofill into the Finalize tab in the Necropsy module in ZIMS Medical.

Edit Carcass – This button is activated when Carcass Disposition is Sent Out (Part or Whole Body). You can record body part(s), where it was sent, identifier assigned there, genetic results, date sent and received and additional Details.

Submitted for Necropsy – Check this box if the body was submitted for a necropsy

Responsible Party – This is not who was responsible for the death!

Notes – Record additional information not captured elsewhere or provide clarifying information.

 

If a necropsy is submitted prior to a death being recorded in the Husbandry module, an Incomplete Disposition is created, and Date of Death, Manner of Death, Relevant Death Information, Primary Body System Affected, and Carcass Disposition will be auto-filled with the information that was added in the Necropsy module in ZIMS Medical.

 

Any edits in either module to Relevant Death Information, Primary Body System Affected, and Carcass Disposition will update both modules with the most recent information.

Any edits in either module to Date of Death or Manner of Death will not change the information in the Necropsy module, you will need to edit the necropsy separately. You will be alerted in both Husbandry and Medical when the two modules do not match.

 

Back to Modes of Dispositions

 

Missing

Date – The date may often have to be estimated depending on the Term of Missing it was.

Date Last Seen On Site – This date may also have to be estimated in situations where the animal was not accounted for every day such as occupants of large aviaries.

Terms – Read the hover overs so that the correct Term is selected. Do not create fiction, record Escaped or Theft only if there is evidence of such.

Missing Location – The default is Undetermined but you should record your Institution if that is where the animal went Missing from. If it went Missing from another location, such as a program animal off grounds, you can select either another Institution (you may need to enter it as a Local institution) or a Geo Location.

Responsible Party – We don’t believe this was intended to be used for who was responsible for the Missing!

Notes – This can be used to provide further details such as why you suspect a Theft or the means of Escape.

 

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Release to Wild

Date – Record the date of the actual release, not when the animal left your facility, as you remain responsible for it until it is actually released. In the case of a rehab animal being released by a rehabber, that would be recorded as a To Another Institution as you did not actually release the animal.

Terms – Select the correct physical and ownership status.

Released Location – You can record as general as a Country or very specific such as GPS coordinates and Altitude or Depth.

Responsible Party – Who released the animal if a Staff member did so.

Notes – These can include details on how the release went and who was involved in addition to the Responsible Party.

 

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To Another Institution

Date – Depending on your agreement with the Receiving Institution, this date could be the date the animal left your facility or the date the Receiver accepted responsibility for it, especially for a land or international transport.

Terms – Read the hover overs to determine the correct Term. What you select here will drive the next fields.

• Physical Receiver – Institution receiving the physical animal (in physical and ownership dispositions)
• Ownership Receiver – Institution receiving the legal title to the animal (in physical and ownership dispositions)
• Receiver - Institution receiving the physical or legal title to the animal (in Physical Only or Ownership Only dispositions)

Your Local ID – This will prefill.

Receiver – Record the Receiving Institution

Receiving Local ID – If you know the Local ID that the Receiver will assign you can enter it here, otherwise record Undetermined. Once they confirm the transaction you will be able to find their Local ID in the Physical or Ownership History grids and you can update the disposition record.

Price – If you are selling the animal you can record the price charged.

Currency – Record the currency; this can be set as a default in Institution/My Preferences.

Edit Shipping Details – This button opens a screen for capturing details of the transport. The only searchable field is the Shipping Company.

Death in Transit – Check this box if the animal died before reaching its destination. This will open up the Death disposition fields. See Death above. The death will not be counted as a death at your institution. The My Transaction line will display as To Another Institution (Death in Transit). The intended Receiving institution will not get a Pending Transaction for the transfer.

Responsible Party – This could be who was in charge of the shipment.

Notes – Use this to capture further information, especially if there was a Death in Transit.

 

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Undetermined/Indeterminate

Radio buttons – Select Undetermined (don’t know at this time) or Indeterminate (will never know)

Terms – The only Term available is Undetermined/Indeterminate (as selected above) (Physical and Ownership).

Responsible Party – Sourced from Staff, Team and Department lists. Record as appropriate.

Notes – This could be used to record as much as you may know about the disposition.

If more information is found out later, this disposition can be removed and another mode selected.

 

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Record Holder Change

If you need to change the holding institution for an animal Out On Loan or Lease you would not select a Disposition. Under Add Transaction tab select Report Holder Change. Once saved the My Transactions gird will display as Loan Out To (Change in Reported Holder.

 

Though not a disposition, you are also able to record a change in ownership from the My Transactions tab.

 

Back to Modes of Dispositions

 

 

Revised 5 March 2025