Stackable pet shelter

Abstract

A pet shelter that enables efficient stacking of multiple shelters in a bottom-top-bottom-top-bottom-etc. arrangement is provided. The shelter comprises a bottom section and a top section. Both the top and bottom sections are preferably hollow rectangular boxes with one missing side. Both sections have sloping sidewalls and a substantially U-shaped opening in one sidewall. The sidewalls of the top and bottom sections slope at roughly equal angles. The legs of the U-shaped openings are bent at roughly equal angles on both the top and bottom sections. The height of the top section is roughly equal to the height of the bottom section. The roof of the top section has a very gradual slope, such that the peak of the roof does not obstruct insertion of a top section into a bottom section. Thus, the top and bottom sections are configured such that an inverted top section fits snugly within an interior of a bottom section, and a bottom section fits snugly within an interior of an inverted top section.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A stable stack of nested pet shelter sections, the stable stack comprising: 
 a first pet shelter comprising a first group of pet shelter sections including: 
 a first bottom comprising a substantially rectangular box missing one side and including at least one opening, and  
 a first top grouped with the first bottom within the stable stack and comprising a roof including a peaked center ridge; and  
   a second pet shelter comprising a second group of pet shelter sections including: 
 a second bottom comprising a substantially rectangular box missing one side and including at least one opening, and  
 a second top grouped with the second bottom within the stable stack and comprising a roof including a peaked center ridge,  
   wherein the second group of pet shelter sections are above the first group of pet shelter sections in the stable stack facilitating acquisition of the second pet shelter by removing the second group of pet shelter sections from one end of the stable stack.    
     
     
         2 . The stable stack of  claim 1 , wherein the second group further includes at least one accessory item.  
     
     
         3 . The stable stack of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one accessory item is grouped such that the acquisition of the second pet shelter from the stable stack automatically includes acquisition of the at least one accessory item.  
     
     
         4 . The stable stack of  claim 1 , wherein the first top is inverted within the stable stack and nested within the first bottom, the second bottom is nested within the inverted first top, and the second top is inverted and nested within the second bottom to form a bottom-top-bottom-top arrangement within the stable stack.  
     
     
         5 . The stable stack of  claim 4 , wherein the first top includes two side walls, a front wall including at least one opening, and a back wall, and wherein the side walls, the front wall, and the back wall, each provide support to walls of the substantially rectangular box of the first bottom in the stable stack.  
     
     
         6 . The stable stack of  claim 4 , wherein at least a portion of the peaked center ridge of the first top contacts a floor of the first bottom.  
     
     
         7 . The stable stack of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second pet shelters each comprise a durable plastic material.  
     
     
         8 . The stable stack of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second roofs include a plurality of sloped shingle-like surfaces.  
     
     
         9 . A method of stacking pet shelters to form a stable stack that reduces space needed for displaying the pet shelters, the method comprising: 
 nesting together a first roof section and a first base section of a first pet shelter, wherein the first roof section includes a cross sectional configuration which is different than a cross sectional configuration of the first base section when the first roof section and the first base section are nested;    nesting together a second roof section and a second base section of a second pet shelter, wherein the second roof section includes a cross sectional configuration which is different than a cross sectional configuration of the second base section when the second roof section and the second base section are nested; and    nesting the second pet shelter within the first pet shelter into a stable stack of pet shelters where selection of the second pet shelter from the stable stack includes removal of the second roof section and the second base section from one end of the stable stack.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising including at least one accessory item within the nested second roof section and second base section.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one accessory item is grouped such that acquisition of the second pet shelter from the stable stack automatically includes acquisition of the at least one accessory item.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the nesting together of the first roof section and the first base section further comprises inverting the first roof section within the first base section, and wherein the nesting together the second roof section and the second base section further comprises inverting the second roof section within the second base section.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first roof section also includes two side walls, a front wall including at least one opening, and a back wall, and wherein the side walls, the front wall, and the back wall, each provide support to walls of the first base section when the first pet shelter is part of the stable stack.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first roof section includes a center ridge.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein center ridge contacts the first base section.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first and second pet shelters each comprise a durable plastic material.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first and second roof sections each include a plurality of sloped shingle-like surfaces.