Frequently asked questions

Each SnugCrate is cut from optical-grade cast acrylic and joined with marine-grade stainless steel hardware. Our panels are heavy-gauge cast acrylic, up to 1/2 inch thick, far heavier than the thin extruded acrylic used in display cases and retail aquariums. The result is a crate transparent enough to be furniture, strong enough to last for years, and refined enough to display in any room of your home.

The honest differences come down to materials and construction. Economy crates typically use thin extruded acrylic (often just 1/8 to 1/4 inch) rather than the heavy cast acrylic we use. Extruded scratches more easily, yellows in sunlight, and is structurally weaker. Their hardware is usually zinc-plated steel that corrodes within months in humid climates or near water bowls. SnugCrate uses alloyed stainless throughout, the same alloy specified for commercial kitchens. The panels are laser-cut and hand-finished rather than CNC-routed, which is the difference between a tailored garment and one off the rack.

Cast acrylic at our thickness is dramatically harder than wire crates or powder-coated steel. We won't claim any material on earth is fully chew-proof, but in years of customer experience we've yet to receive a report of structural damage from chewing. The smooth, seamless interior gives even determined chewers nothing to grip, and most lose interest within a few weeks of habituation.

The opposite. Acrylic is far quieter than wire or plastic. Collar tags won't clang, water bowls won't rattle, and your companion can move freely without the metallic sound that often makes wire crates feel like cages to sensitive animals.

Soft microfiber cloth and warm water for daily wipe-downs. For deeper cleans, any pH-neutral acrylic-safe cleaner. Avoid ammonia (including standard window cleaners), abrasive sponges, and paper towels, whose fibers leave micro-scratches over time. A few drops of dish soap on a microfiber cloth handles ninety-five percent of cleaning needs. For deeper cleans, use Novus #1 Acrylic Cleaner- available on Amazon and most online retailers. If you have difficulty finding the right cleaner for your crate, please give us a call.

Use the Size Finder on any product page, or our Companion Guide on the home page. The principle is the same one a thoughtful trainer would use: your companion should comfortably stand up, turn around, and lie down stretched out. For most adult dogs, match interior crate length to nose-to-rump plus four inches, and interior height to standing shoulder height plus three inches.

We don't recommend it, even for bonded littermates. Crates are most effective when they function as individual retreats. Two crates placed side-by-side is something many of our customers do beautifully, and we're happy to discuss configurations on a complimentary call.

Many of our customers use SnugCrates as cat retreats, especially the Cottage size for single cats. The transparent panels suit cats' visual nature, and the enclosed top creates the cave-like sense of safety cats instinctively prefer.

Every SnugCrate ships with one of our four signature ventilation patterns (Circles, Squares, Diamonds, or Hearts), polished stainless hardware, your choice of door position (Panoramic or Portrait), and felt floor glides. Self-assembly is standard; white-glove delivery and pre-assembly are available as upgrades.

Custom cutouts let you specify a ventilation motif of your choice: geometric patterns, a monogram, a breed silhouette, or a design that complements your interior. Send us your reference, and our design team returns a digital proof for your approval before fabrication begins.

Yes. Send photographs of the hardware you'd like to match, and our specialist sources a matching alloy and finish. Most matches require a sample piece be sent to our workshop for verification. A $100 sourcing fee applies and is credited toward your hardware upgrade.

Standard configurations ship within 7–10 business days. Custom cutout patterns add 5–7 business days for design proofing and programming. Custom hardware finishes add 10–14 business days for sourcing and verification. We want the best fit for your home!

Crates ship via UPS or FedEx in custom-built protective crating. Please contact us if you have unique delivery requirements.

Easy Self-Assembly ships flat-packed: panels and hardware arrive in protective wrapping with illustrated instructions. Most customers complete assembly in 30–45 minutes using the included Allen key. White-Glove Assembled means our creates are assembled in our workshop and packed full-size for shipping.

Every order includes the crate panels, all stainless hardware, your selected stand or floor glides, an Allen key, illustrated assembly instructions, a microfiber care cloth, and our Companion Introduction Guide.

We currently ship throughout the United States and Canada. United Kingdom and European Union shipping launches in 2026. If you're outside North America and would like to be notified when we expand, email concierge@snugcrate.com.

Nearly universally, yes, when introduced thoughtfully. Most companions claim a SnugCrate as their den within a week. We include a brief introduction guide with every order that walks you through habituation in five short steps.

SnugCrates are not crash-tested for vehicle transport and aren't intended as travel crates. They're designed as a permanent home retreat. For vehicle travel we recommend a Center for Pet Safety-certified harness or carrier; for air travel, an IATA-compliant travel crate.

Every SnugCrate is cut, hand-finished, and quality-checked in our Utah workshop. Acrylic is sourced from an American mill; stainless hardware is sourced from a single Swiss alloy supplier. We don't subcontract fabrication.

Every SnugCrate is warranted against manufacturing defects for ten years. Hardware is warranted against manufacturing defects. Damage from chewing, drops, or normal wear is not covered, but we offer replacement panels and hardware at cost, so a single damaged panel never means replacing the whole piece.

Photograph the packaging and contents at the time of delivery, then email us within 48 hours. We replace damaged components without question. In the rare event of structural damage we replace the entire crate.

Standard configurations may be returned within 30 days for a full refund, less return shipping. Custom configurations (custom cutouts, custom hardware, engraving) are made to order and are final sale. We're happy to send acrylic samples and hardware swatches before your purchase to help you decide with confidence.

A few honest reasons. Our premium acrylic costs roughly eight times what economy acrylic costs. Marine-grade stainless is roughly three times the cost of the zinc-plated steel used in retail crates. Each panel is cut and hand-finished in a small workshop rather than mass-stamped overseas. And we sell directly, so you're paying for the crate, not for retail markup. The mathematics work out to a piece that should be the only crate your companion ever needs.

For households ordering two or more crates simultaneously, a 5% courtesy discount applies automatically at checkout. For orders of four or more (interior designers, breeders, professional kennels), please email concierge@snugcrate.com for trade pricing.