A pet door or pet flap (also referred to in more specific terms, such as cat flap or dog door a.k.a. doggie door) is a small portal in a wall, window or human door to allow pets to enter and exit a house (or other structure) on their own without needing a person to open the door. Originally simple holes, the modern form is a hinged and often spring-loaded panel or flexible flap, and some are electronically controlled. They offer a degree of protection against wind, rain, and larger-bodied intruders entering the dwelling. Similar hatches can let dogs through fences at stiles. A related concept is the pet gate, which is easy for humans to open but acts as a secure pet barrier.
Read more about Dog Door: Purpose, Features, History, Electronic Pet Doors, Patio Door Pet Flaps, Dog Stiles, Pet Gates
Famous quotes containing the words dog and/or door:
“Alexander Woollcott broadcasts the story of the wife who returned a dog to the Seeing Eye with this note attached: “I am sending the dog back. My husband used to depend on me. Now he is independent, and I never know where he is.””
—For the State of New Jersey, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)
“Oh Mary,
Gentle Mother,
open the door and let me in.
A bee has stung your belly with faith.
Let me float in it like a fish.”
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)