Abstract: A tent for human or animal habitation with a separate pet entrance which offers pets separate entry and exit to and from the interior of the tent at will. The pet entrance offers freedom of movement therethrough in either direction at the pet's discretion followed by automatic closure and sealing of a pet entry door panel against planar panels at the side of the pet entrance.

Abstract: A system and method for applying an animal access port to an inclined surface, such as an inclined cellar door. The system includes rail elements that are applied to the inclined surface on either side of an opening that has been cut through the inclined surface. The rail elements create tracks along the sides of the opening. A dormer structure is provided. The dormer structure has walls and a top surface that spans the walls to define an interior space within the dormer structure. However, the dormer structure has no bottom surface, and is thus open at its bottom. One of the walls of the dormer structure supports a door. The dormer surface can be placed in the tracks created by the rail elements. The tracks retain the dormer structure in place over the opening in the inclined surface. The dormer structure protects the opening in the inclined surface and provides access to the opening through the door in the wall of the dormer structure.

Abstract: A dog blind including a hollow body shell having a neck extending therefrom and configured as a waterfowl. The hollow body shell includes a chest region having a door therein for selectively releasing a dog, such as a retriever, restrained within the shell.

Abstract: An animal holding facility with automatic evacuation system is disclosed, comprised of an otherwise conventional kennel. Installed inside of the kennel is an automatic fire/smoke/carbon dioxide detection system utilizing a plurality of smoke and/or fire and/or carbon monoxide sensors. An audible alarm activates upon triggering of the sensors. A common fire door open automatically and a hydraulic animal ejection means gently sweeps or guides the animal out of the kennel through the fire exits. A slide is located at the outside entrance to each fire exit. A cushioned pad is located on the bottom of each slide. A fenced-in area is located at the base of each slide, and is designed to retain the animals in a restricted area away from the fire or smoke or carbon monoxide.

Abstract: A cat cabinet for providing a location for a cat to go for various reasons including to hide, to eat and to use a litter box. The cat cabinet includes a housing with an open top, a bottom panel and a perimeter side wall upwardly extending around the bottom panel. The perimeter side wall includes a spaced apart pair of end panels, and a spaced apart pair of side panels extending between the end panels. A top panel substantially covers the open top of the housing. A shelf is disposed in the housing and spaced above the bottom panel. A first of the side panels has a plurality of access doors pivotally coupled thereto to provide access into the housing through the first side panel. The perimeter side wall also has a plurality of removable punchouts which form corresponding passage holes through the perimeter side wall when separated from the perimeter side wall.

Abstract: An automatic pet door, enclosed within a housing, having a pet door located in between two sensors. The two sensors are positioned on arms that extending perpendicular to the housing. An infrared beam extends between the two sensors. When the beam is interrupted, a signal is sent to a motor located on top of the pet door. The motor is in constant connection with a power supply. A rack and pinion device works in conjunction with the motor. When a pet walks in between the two arms and the beam is broken, the motor causes the rack and pinion device to engage with teeth found on the top portion of the pet door, thus causing the door to open. Once the pet walks through the open door and the beam is once again continuous, the door closes.

Abstract: An animal shelter (10) includes a top (20) formed as a unitary shell and shaped to resemble a natural object having an irregular surface, such as a tree stump. An entrance (26) is formed in the top (20) and allows an animal to enter and exit animal shelter (10). Because the top (20) is shaped to resemble a natural object, the animal shelter (10) blends into a natural setting. An extended floor (41) may be attached to the base (40), and an extended covering (28) may be attached to the top (20) adjacent the entrance (26). The extended covering (28) covers the extended floor (41). The extended covering (28) resembles an extension of the natural object, thus further enhancing the appearance of the animal shelter (10). A planter (60), removably seated upon the top (20), may be used to cultivate plants.

Abstract: A litter box includes a pair of brushes each of which has bristles which project into an opening through which an animal must pass in order to enter or leave the litter box thereby performing a grooming action on the coat of the animal. In an additional embodiment of the invention, a sponge member is provided which deposits a liquid on the coat of the animal as the animal enters or leaves the litter box. In another embodiment of the invention the animal enters a second enclosure in which a washing action is performed on the animal's body and paws.

Abstract: A dog house apparatus includes a four-cornered base unit, a plurality of walls supported by the base unit, and a roof supported by the walls. An entrance opening is located in one of the walls. The entrance opening includes a bottommost aperture portion, a far lateral aperture portion, a topmost aperture portion, and a near lateral aperture portion. The wall which includes the entrance opening includes a near wall half and a far wall half. The entrance opening is entirely included in the near wall half. The bottommost aperture portion of the entrance opening is spaced above the base unit by a vertical offset distance. An overhead entrance cover is connected to the entrance-including wall at a location on the wall above the topmost aperture portion of the entrance opening. The overhead entrance cover slopes downward and away from the entrance opening. A pair of lateral entrance covers are connected to the entrance-containing wall adjacent to the entrance opening.

Abstract: A vivarium with a raised side access panel which allows reptiles to be approached laterally rather than from above. A lower glass panel below the side access panel permits the vivarium to hold water for amphibians while permitting side access to the reptiles inside. A frame structure is also provided which allows upper and lower frame segments to be interchanged. The upper frame segments allow the top lid to be permanently mounted such that a variety of equipment can be placed on the top cover of the vivarium without being disturbed when the vivarium is accessed through the side access panel. The shape of the frame segments form recessed bottom which can hold an optional heating element to control temperature in the vivarium from below.

Abstract: A box having a rectangular base with short upstanding front and rear walls and long upstanding side walls therebetween with an open top. The box also has a small rectangular opening in the front wall for the passage of a cat therethrough. A rectangular tray is positioned over the opened upper edge of the box. The tray has short front and rear walls with long side walls therebetween. A divider box is positioned parallel with, and centrally located between, the front and rear edges of the tray with a handle formed therethrough. The divider bar separates the tray into an eating area and a sleeping area. Removable coupling elements are located between the box and the lid. The coupling elements include apertures formed in the side walls of the box adjacent to the upper edges thereof. Clips are secured to the side walls of the tray adjacent to the lower edges thereof.

Abstract: A self closing dog house door including a pair of sheeting members secured over an opening in a dog house. Each of the sheeting members has an upper edge, a lower edge, an inner edge, and an outer edge. The inner edge of each of the sheeting members has an elongated recess formed therein whereby the elongated recess of the sheeting members is disposed over the opening in the dog house. A pair of flexible plastic doors are secured within the elongated recess of the pair of sheeting members. Each plastic door has a vertically oriented aperture therethrough. A pair of elongated spring mechanisms each is positioned within a vertically oriented aperture of the pair of flexible plastic doors.

Abstract: An improved indoor/outdoor doghouse having the improved connection of a top portion and a base portion of an animal housing using press-fit attachment members. Two types of press-fit attachment pairs are described with a first member of each pair being integral with the base portion and a second member of each pair being integral with the top portion. Another aspect of the present invention employs interior staking to secure the animal shelter to the ground. This feature employs a stake through an opening in an interior floor surface. In yet another aspect of the present invention, a floor channel is employed with a raised portion of the floor to hold water introduced by a wet animal occupying the shelter. The channel can be formed in any portion of the floor, or, alternatively, can follow a path between one or more walls of the enclosure and the raised portion. The present invention employs a louvered vent in a wall of the shelter to improve ventilation, but avoid the entry of rain therethrough.