Pet Guide Platform for a Pet Door Opening

Abstract

A pet apparatus has a rigid platform member, a rigid barrier member, and a support member. The rigid barrier member is attached to one end of the rigid platform member. The support member is attached to the rigid platform member at its other end. The left and right sides of the rigid platform member are open. The support member may be attached to a vertical wall below a pet door opening. When the pet apparatus is in a deployed position, the rigid platform member provides a place for a pet to stand after it passes through the pet door. The rigid barrier member prevents the pet from going straight off of the end of the rigid platform member. The pet must turn to the right or left to leave the platform by one of the two open sides.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A pet apparatus having a deployed position comprising:
 a) a pet door;   b) a rigid platform member comprising a front side and a back side at opposing ends of said rigid platform member wherein said rigid platform member has a horizontal configuration when said pet apparatus is in said deployed position;   c) a rigid barrier member comprising an upper side wherein:
 i) said rigid barrier member is connected to said rigid platform member; 
 ii) said rigid barrier member has a vertical orientation when said pet apparatus is in said deployed position; and 
 iii) said upper side of said rigid barrier member extends above said rigid platform member when said pet apparatus is in said deployed position; and 
   d) a support member wherein:
 i) said support member is adapted to be attached to a vertical wall at a position below said pet door when said pet door is mounted in a pet door opening in said vertical wall; and 
 ii) said support member is connected to said rigid platform member such that said rigid platform member will have said horizontal configuration at a level below said pet door when said support member is mounted on said vertical wall at a level below said pet door when said pet door is mounted in said pet door opening; 
   
       and wherein:
 e) said rigid platform member comprises a right open side and a left open side. 
 
     
     
         2 . The pet apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said rigid barrier member is rigidly attached to said rigid platform member such that said rigid barrier member has a vertical orientation when said pet apparatus is in said deployed position. 
     
     
         3 . The pet apparatus of  claim 1  which further comprises a stairway that is disposed below said platform member and descends orthogonally away from said rigid barrier member. 
     
     
         4 . The pet apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 a) said pet apparatus further has a collapsed position; 
 b) said rigid barrier member is hingedly joined to said rigid platform member; and 
 c) said rigid platform member is hingedly joined to said support member such that said pet door will be blocked by at least one of said rigid platform member or said rigid barrier member when:
 i) said pet apparatus is in said collapsed position; 
 ii) said pet door is mounted on a pet door opening in said vertical wall; and 
 iii) said support member is mounted on said vertical wall at a position below said pet door opening.