Mike, I have 2 platimum series kennels by them. (I purchased one) They are nice & sturdy but rust like crazy & look like S#%$ after only a few months. I purchased mine in early '04 & they looked like I had owned them for 10 years within a couple of months. When I contacted them about it they told me that they had had a problem with their curing process & sent me a new kennel. They didn't want the old one returned due to the expense of shipping it back. (hence the 2nd kennel) Well, the new one rusted up just as fast as the old one. When I contacted them again, they told me that I shouldn't complain 'cause I have a 2nd kennel for free. They did not intend to do anything to correct the problem. Even though I told them that I had not asked to have 2 that I only wanted one that didn't look like crap after 3 months for the anount of money that I paid for it. They were just about $700 when I bought mine. I believe that they are close to $1000 now. That is fine but they look lousey & do not enhance my backyard one bit. As far as the latch is concerned....they have 2 latches...one up at about waist height & the other about 5 inches off the bottom of the kennel. They look like a allen wrench shape or L shape & just fits over one of the cross bars on the kennel. You push it down & it drops over the bar & locks in place.They are connected so that when you push down on the waist high one it moves the lower one also. To open you just pull it up. This design keeps a dog from pushing out the bottom part of the door & escaping. The problem with this is that they rust also & are not easy to get up & down after that. I have one of the doors that I don't open often (other side of kennel) I can't open without hitting it with a rock or something to release it. I have put the 2 kennels together to make a 10 x 20 X 6 high kennel. I don't know if they ever fixed the problem with the curing process, but I suspect not, since a friend purchased one about a year or so ago & had similar problems with his. I will say that the strength of the kennel is most likely unsurpassed but you have to be able to tollerate the look of it. Also, be warry of the divider pieces that they sell...my friend purchased one to divinde his kennel,(its plastic, I think) & his dog chewed thew it. I have a cover also, but it doesn't fit since I have put the 2 kennels together. You might be able to find a better choice elsewhere. I don't know if their other silver kennel have the same problems.