Patent ID: 8312846

Claim:
An animal loading, unloading, and confining apparatus configured to be placed in a rear cargo area of a light vehicle, for use in transporting small animals in the light vehicle, comprising: a generally elongated, rectangular base configured to be positioned widthwise in the cargo area of the light vehicle, having a ramp space; a fence carried by said base and having an elongated first fence section parallel to a longitudinal axis of said base and second and third fence sections extending from said first fence section in spaced-apart relationship with respect to each other; a middle fence section extending from said first fence section between said second fence section and said third fence section; said second fence section, said third fence section and said middle fence section transverse to the longitudinal axis of said base; a ramp extendible from said ramp space; a plurality of vertical fence members extending from the base and a plurality of horizontal fence members extending between the plurality of vertical fence members; a drawer extendible from the base; a guard carried by said base generally adjacent to said first fence section and between said second fence section and said third fence section; and a plurality of connectors connecting the plurality of horizontal fence members to the plurality of vertical fence members, thereby creating adjacent sections within the fence for confining multiple small animals separated from one another therein and for transporting the separated small animals with the light vehicle, the adjacent areas within the fence being separated by the middle fence.