WO2004062356A1

WO2004062356A1 - Enclosures for animals

Info

Publication number: WO2004062356A1
Application number: PCT/GB2004/000105
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert Michael John Deacon
Original assignee: Oxford University Innovation Ltd
Current assignee: Oxford University Innovation Ltd
Priority date: 2003-01-13
Filing date: 2004-01-13
Publication date: 2004-07-29
Anticipated expiration: 2005-07-13
Also published as: GB0300700D0

Abstract

A secure enclosure for housing small animals such as mice, or any other climbing animal, comprises a wire mesh vertical cylinder (circular or polygonal) which forms an enclosing wall (1) and also a vertical climbing surface for mice. Inside this cylinder are a set of vertically spaced platforms (13), one above the other, spaced from the inside wall of the mesh by a sufficient distance that the mice can pass between the mesh and the edge of the platform, but access the platform from the mesh. This provides a stimulating environment for the mice allowing them to exercise their natural desire for climbing and exploration. A portable temporary container is also provided which comprises a chamber (30) for housing mice, which is in the form of a sector of a circle having access holes (38) in one of its radial walls (32). A door (40) is hinged to the edge of the chamber at the centre of the circle, the door being sweepable from a position in contact with a blank wall (34) of the container to a position in which it covers and closes the access holes. By temporarily confining the animals in a circular container (7) into which the temporary enclosure is placed, the animals may be shepherded into the chamber using the hinged door.

Description

ENCLOSURES FOR ANIMALS

The present invention relates to enclosures for animals, in particular to secure enclosures for animals which provide a stimulating environment for the animals, and to secure portable enclosures for animals which are easy to use.

The physical and mental health of captive animals may be maintained by providing them with stimulating living environments. Such environments need to reflect the characteristics of the particular animal and allow them to express their natural habits. It is also clearly important for the environment to be easy to clean and maintain and preferably not expensive to manufacture.

Taking, as an example, enclosures for small mammals such as rodents, e.g. mice, hamsters, gerbils or rats, many people who keep such animals as pets provide their pet with specially-made, complex enclosures which provide the animal with a stimulating environment, but are often very difficult and time consuming to maintain and would not be suitable for mass-production. In organisations, such as research institutions, which keep such animals on a larger scale, standard plastic enclosures may be used, which although easy to clean, and providing sufficient space for the animals, do not provide them with a particularly stimulating environment. This lack of stimulation may lead to sub-optimal physical or mental health, which is generally undesirable and can affect the performance of the animals in testing.

There is therefore a need for a secure enclosure for animals which provides a stimulating environment while also being easy to clean and maintain.

From time-to-time it is necessary to transport animals by confining them temporarily in a portable enclosure. Such enclosures come in many forms, but it can be quite difficult to persuade an animal to enter such an enclosure, with which it may be unfamiliar, and which may be unattractive to the animal. There is a need for a portable temporary enclosure into which it is easy to introduce the animal.

A first aspect of the present invention provides a secure enclosure for an animal, comprising an enclosing wall comprising a vertically-extending climbing surface for the animal, and a plurality of vertically-spaced platforms positioned spaced from said climbing surface at such a distance that the animal can pass through the space between the climbing surface and the platforms, and can move from the climbing surface onto the platforms.

Preferably at least substantially the whole of the enclosing wall is formed by the climbing surface, which may be, for instance, wire mesh. Thus the wire mesh may form the enclosing wall itself. Preferably the platforms are removably stackable one on top of the other, for instance having attached or integrally formed legs, the platforms thus being in the form of separate tables which are stackable upon each other. There may be three or more platforms and preferably the climbing surface, e.g. the wire mesh, provides access for the animal to all platforms.

Preferably the enclosing wall removably rests on a base, and the base may have a surrounding wall which itself forms an enclosure for the animal when the enclosing (mesh) wall is removed. This means that when the enclosure is disassembled, for instance for cleaning, the animals are confined in the base part and do not escape.

Preferably the enclosure comprises a lid covering the top of the enclosure, and the lid may be formed from the same material as the climbing surface, for instance wire mesh. The enclosure may be substantially cylindrical or polygonal, the platforms being correspondingly shaped in which case the enclosure is in the form of a correspondingly shaped tower.

The enclosure is sized in accordance with the number and size of the animals to be housed. For instance, the enclosure can be used for small rodents such as mice, rats, gerbils and hamsters, or larger animals such as ferrets and primates, indeed any climbing animal. The spacing between the platforms, and the spacing of the platforms from the wall of the enclosure is adjusted in accordance with the animal to be housed. In the case of mice, for example, the platforms may be spaced apart by about 12 cm, the edge of the platforms being about 2.5 cm from the wall. Where the wall is formed of a square or polygon mesh the mesh may be 13 mm for adult mice or 6 mm for young mice and the enclosure may be about 80 cm high, for example, which allows for four platforms to be positioned inside. The provision of the vertical climbing surface allows the animals to express a natural tendency for climbing, and provides a stimulating environment in which they can explore the different platforms in the enclosure. Where provision needs to be made for the animals to nest or rest, for instance by the provision of soft bedding, this may be at any level in the container, or a living chamber may be provided on one or more of the platforms or on the floor of the container. Dispensers for food and water may be clipped to the outside of the enclosure, or provided inside the enclosure.

Removable stacking of the platforms one on top of the other makes it very easy to disassemble the enclosure for cleaning.

In an alternative embodiment the platforms may be attached to the enclosing wall, to extend out therefrom in cantilever fashion. They may be fixed or slidable.

A second aspect of the invention provides a portable temporary enclosure for an animal, the enclosure comprising a chamber shaped to fit into a sector of a circle, the chamber having a hinge at the centre of the circle, two walls extending radially to the perimeter of the circle, a first of said walls being provided with at least one access hole into the chamber for the animal, and a door attached to the hinge, the shape of the door conforming to the shape of said first of said walls, the door being hingable from a position in contact with the second of said walls to a position in contact with the first of said walls to close the access opening, thereby shepherding said animal into the chamber. A carrying handle may be provided. The design of the enclosure allows a particularly simple method of introducing an animal therein. The animal or animals may be confined in a circular container having a flat floor and a circular circumferential wall with a diameter substantially equal to twice the length of the hinged door such as the base of an enclosure in accordance with the first aspect of the invention. The portable temporary enclosure is then placed in the circular container with the door in contact with the second wall. The door may then be moved on its hinge round to contact the first wall and close the access hole, thereby sweeping the floor and circumferential wall to shepherd the animal into the chamber. The two aspects of the invention may advantageously be combined by making the base of the secure enclosure a circular container having a flat floor and circular circumferential wall of a corresponding size to the temporary enclosure.

The invention will be further described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the embodiment of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a temporary enclosure of a second embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 an embodiment of the invention designed to house mice will be described. The main enclosing wall of the enclosure comprises a circular cylindrical wire mesh tower 1 which, in this embodiment, is approximately 80 cm high. The mesh size is set according to the age of mice to be confined, 13 mm for adult or 6 mm for young mice. The mesh is preferably stainless steel, though may be galvanised mild steel. Any material, however, which is resistant to gnawing and to urine and provides a climbing surface may be used. The cylinder is closed at its top by a lid 3, also made from the same wire mesh (though it may be a different non-corrodable material), held in position, for example, by pin 5 which extends through the lid and mesh cylinder 1. The mesh cylinder 1 stands in a base 7 which has a flat floor 9 and a circular circumferential wall 11. The base may be metal, wood or plastic or any non-corrodable material. Inside the mesh cylinder 1 are provided four vertically-spaced horizontal circular platforms 13. The platforms may be made of metal, wood or, in this embodiment, perspex and they are of such a size that their edges are spaced approximately 2.5 cm from the inside surface of the mesh cylinder 1. The enclosure can of course be square or polygonal, with correspondingly shaped platforms. The platforms 13 are each provided with three cylindrical legs 15 so that they form tables which are stacked one on top of the other. In the illustrated embodiment the bottom of the legs are not attached to the lower platform 13 on which they rest, though optionally a releasable fixing may be provided to stop the animal moving the platforms. Water dispensers 17, 19 are clipped to the mesh container with their outlets accessible from different platforms. Food may be scattered amongst the different platforms in the container, or may be provided from dispensers. Optionally the platforms may be provided with a carrying handle 21 which is appropriate for the size of the platform. In this embodiment the handles 21, which are centrally placed, are large enough for the mice to climb onto, where they may sit or sleep, thus providing extra enrichment within the mouse tower. Indeed any other items will contribute to the increased enrichment within the environment.

In use the provision of the mesh wall as a vertically-extending climbing surface, also forming the enclosure, allows the mice to climb to all different levels within the enclosure, thus providing them with a stimulating environment. Further, the enclosure may be easily disassembled by removing the lid 3 and lifting out each of the platforms 13, leaving the mice confined in the base 7 where they may be left or removed temporarily (e.g. by use of the temporary enclosure described below with reference to Figure 3). The platforms 13 and mesh cylinder 1 may easily be cleaned and the enclosure rapidly reassembled and the mice reintroduced.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a single enclosure. A modular system of enclosures may be provided by joining several mesh cylinders (which can be square or rectangular in cross section) in a two-dimensional array, to stand in a corresponding array of bases 7. Further, the tables consisting of platforms 13 and legs 15 may be integrally formed, and optionally several platforms may be integrated together into a multistory unitary structure. Further, the tables formed by platforms 13 and legs 15 may be integrated with the base 7, and could be in the form of a single central pillar from which all of the platforms extend.

Figure 3 illustrates a second embodiment of the invention which is a portable enclosure designed to confine temporarily an animal for transport. The enclosure comprises a chamber 30 in which the animal is to be housed, and which is in the form of a sector of a circle. The enclosure is provided with two radially extending walls 32 and 34 joined by a circumferential wall 36. Access holes 38 for the animal or animals are provided in the wall 32. A first door 40 is hinged to the vertically extending edge 42 at the "centre" of the circle, the door being movable through a range of movement from flush contact with the wall 34 through to flush contact with the wall 32 (in which position it closes the access holes 38). The top surface of the enclosure forms a second door 35, hinged at 34a along edge 34 and fastened shut by fastener 35a. A carrying handle 44 is provided. The enclosure is preferably made of red translucent perspex which appears black (opaque) to mice.

In use the animal or animals to be transported are confined in a circular container having a flat circular floor and a circumferential floor such as the base 7 of the first embodiment of the invention. The portable enclosure is then placed in the circular container with the circumferential wall 36 against the circumferential wall of the container and the door 40 in contact with the wall 34. Hinging the door 40 around shepherds the animals in to the chamber 30 through the access holes 38 by virtue of the door 40 sweeping the circumferential wall 11 and floor 9 of the circular container. It will be appreciated that the portable enclosure is to be of corresponding size to the circular container so that the door 40 leaves no gaps between the floor and wall of the container through which the animals may escape. The door 40 may be locked closed or open using lock 46. The animals may easily be removed by means of the second door 35 which forms the roof of the chamber.

Claims

1. A secure enclosure for an animal, comprising an enclosing wall comprising a vertically-extending climbing surface for the animal, and a plurality of vertically-spaced platforms positioned spaced from said climbing surface at such a distance that the animal can pass through the space between the climbing surface and the platforms, and can move from the climbing surface onto the platforms.

2. A secure enclosure according to claim 1, wherein at least substantially the whole of the enclosing wall is formed by said climbing surface.

3. A secure enclosure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said climbing surface comprises wire mesh.

4. A secure enclosure according to claim 3, wherein said wire mesh forms the enclosing wall.

5. A secure enclosure according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the horizontal platforms are removably stackable one on top of the other.

6. A secure enclosure according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein there are three or more platforms and said climbing surface provides access for the animal to all platforms.

7. A secure enclosure according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the enclosing wall removably rests on a base.

8. A secure enclosure according to claim 7, wherein the base has a surrounding wall forming an enclosure for the animal when the enclosing wall is removed.

9. A secure enclosure according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising a lid covering the top of the enclosure.

10. A secure enclosure according to claim 9 wherein the lid is formed from the same material as said climbing surface.

11. A secure enclosure according to any one of the preceding claims which is substantially cylindrical in top plan view, the platforms being substantially circular.

12. A portable temporary enclosure for an animal, the enclosure comprising a chamber shaped to fit in a sector of a circle, the chamber having a hinge at the centre of the circle, two walls extending radially to the perimeter of the circle, a first of said walls being provided with at least one access hole into the chamber for the animal, and a door attached to said hinge, the shape of the door conforming to the shape of said first of said walls, the door being hingable from a position in contact with the second of said walls to a position in contact with the first of said walls to close the access opening, thereby shepherding said animal into the chamber.

13. A portable temporary enclosure according to claim 12 wherein a top surface of the container forms a door to allow animals to be removed from the chamber.

14. A portable temporary enclosure according to claim 12 or 13 further comprising a carrying handle.

15. A method of introducing an animal into the portable temporary enclosure of claim 12, 13 or 13 comprising the steps of confining the animal in a circular container having a flat floor and circumferential wall and a diameter substantially equal to twice the length of said hinged door, placing the portable temporary enclosure of claim 12 or 13 into the container with the door in contact with the second wall, and moving the door into contact with the first wall the door thereby sweeping the floor and circumferential wall to shepherd said animal into the chamber.