CLUB RULES | My Site 3

Club Rules

1. Name and Objectives of the Club The Club shall be called the Northern Pomeranian Club and its objectives shall be the well being of the Breed in every way to the best of the Club’s ability. To breed to the Kennel Club’s Standard, especially with regard to size and colour.

2. Officers The Club shall consist of a Patron, President, Honorary Vice-President/s, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, and a Committee of twelve members.

3. Committee The management of the Club shall be in the hands of the Officers of the Club and a committee consisting of twelve members. The Patron, President, shall hold office for life Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and Committee shall retire triennially but shall be eligible for re-election immediately without re-nomination. If any Committee member fails to attend two consecutive Committee Meetings in any one year without giving any reasonable explanation, he/she shall automatically cease to be a Committee member of the Club. Five members to form a quorum. Judges to be elected by a majority vote of the Judges by the Committee of the Club. Committee members may be elected in a judging capacity at the Club’s shows. No Officer or Committee member of the Club to be on the Committee of any other Pomeranian Club. No member shall be nominated to be an Officer of the Club unless the said member has held full membership for at least three years prior to the meeting. Meetings of the Committee shall be held as often as deemed necessary but at least every six months. The Committee shall have the power to make necessary bye-laws directed by the Kennel Club, provided that no bye-laws so made shall be inconsistent with or shall affect or repeal any Club rule, and that any such bye-laws shall be submitted to the next General Meeting of the Club for confirmation as a Rule. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt members on to the Committee in the event of position/s becoming vacant between General Meetings. Those co-opted shall only hold office until the next General Meeting of the Club at which an election of Officers and Committee takes place.

4. Election of Officers and Committee To take place at an Annual General Meeting from existing paid up members. All members must be fully paid up members for at least one year before being able to vote at General Meetings. Candidates for Officers and Committee shall be proposed by a member and seconded by another.

5. Election of Members To be proposed by a member and seconded by another. The Club to consist of any number of members favourable to the Rules of the Club.

6. Voting Rights Each member shall be entitled to one vote after twelve months membership. Postal votes and proxy votes are not allowed. Voting at Committee and General Meetings shall be either by a show of hands or paper ballot, as decided by the majority of those members present at the Meeting. Where joint membership is held, each member of the partnership shall be entitled to one vote. The Honorary Vice-President/s shall have the rights to vote at a General Meeting but have no voting rights at a Committee Meeting. Junior members have no voting rights but may take part in general discussion at General Meetings. Co-opted Committee members have no voting rights but may take part in general discussion meetings. The Chairman shall have no voting rights, unless required to give a casting vote.

7. Subscriptions £5.00 for single membership. £6.00 for joint membership. Junior membership free, if one or both parents are already members. Junior members are young people between the ages of 8 and 18. Junior membership will terminate on the 1st January next, following the member’s 18th birthday. Before a member or members wishes to become Life Member/s they must have Been a member/s of the Club for at least 3 years. Life Membership – Single £50, Joint £60

8. Members List The Club must make a list of members and their addresses available for inspection If so requested by the members of the Club or by the Kennel Club.

9. Expulsion of Members Any member who shall be suspended by the Kennel Club Rule A11.j(5)and/or Kennel Club shall ipso facto cease to be a member of the club If the conduct of any member shall, in the opinion of the Committee of the Club be injurious or likely to be injurious to the character or interests of the Club may, at a meeting, the notice convening which includes as an object the consideration of the conduct of the Member, determine that a Special General Meeting of the Club shall be called for the purpose of passing a resolution to expel him/her. Notice of the Special General Meeting shall be sent to the accused Member, giving particulars of the complaint and advising the place, date and hour of the Meeting that he/she may attend and offer an explanation. If at that Meeting, a resolution to expel is passed by a two-thirds majority of the Members present and voting, his/her name shall forthwith be erased from the list of Members, and he/she shall thereupon cease for all purposes to be a Member of the Club except that he/she may, within two calendar months from the date of such Meeting, appeal to the Kennel Club upon and subject to such condition as the Kennel Club may impose.

10. Club Property The property of the Club shall be vested in the Committee. In the event of the Club ceasing to exist, a General Meeting shall be called to decide the disposal of the Club’s assets and the outcome of the Meeting notified to the Kennel Club. (If a registered Club is wound up or ceases to be a Registered Club under these Regulations a final statement of accounts with a record of the disposal of the property of the club shall be forwarded to the Kennel Club within six months and the persons named as Officers and Committee of the Club, will be held responsible by the Kennel Club for the proper winding up of the Club.)

11. Club Accounts That a banking account shall be opened in the name of the Club into which all revenues shall be paid and from which withdrawal shall only be made on the signatures of the Chairman and Treasurer. A qualified Accountant to be appointed at each Annual General Meeting. Those certifiying the accounts must be independent of the committee.

12. Financial Year and Annual General Meeting The financial year of the Club shall be from 1st January to 31st December. The business to be conducted at such a Meeting will be to receive the report of the Committee and the Balance Sheet, to elect Officers, Committee and to discuss any Resolution duly placed on the Agenda of which fourteen days prior notice has been given to the Honorary Secretary on the date notified to members. No business shall be transacted at an Annual General unless notice thereof appears on the Agenda, with the exception of routine matters or those which in the opinion of the Chairman of the Meeting are urgent. Notice of such Meetings and receipt of items for the Agenda will be forwarded to the membership. At least one calendar month’s notice to be given in writing to the members of any General Meeting. The certified accounts will be made available on request fourteen days prior to the AGM

13. Special General Meetings A Special General Meeting shall be summoned by the Honorary Secretary if twenty members send a signed requisition stating the subject to be discussed and requesting a Special General Meeting to do so. No other business than that detailed on the Agenda can be discussed at a Special General Meeting. The Committee of the Club is empowered to call a Special General Meeting at its direction. Notification of such Meetings shall be given to Members in writing at least one calendar month in advance of the meeting.

14. Amendments to the Rules The rules of the Club may not be altered except at a General Meeting, the notice for which contains specific proposals to amend the Rules. Any proposed alteration to the Rules may not be brought into effect until the Kennel Club has been advised and approved the alteration.

15. Annual Returns to The Kennel Club The Officers and Committee acknowledge that during the month of January each year, the Maintenance of Title fee will be forwarded to the Kennel Club by the Secretary for continuance of Registration and that by 31st July each year, other returns, as stipulated in Kennel Club Regulations for the Registration and Maintenance of Title of Societies and Breed Councils and the Affiliation of Agricultural Societies and Municipal Authorities be forwarded to the Kennel Club. The Officers also acknowledge their duty to inform the Kennel Club of any changes of Secretary of the Club which many occur during the course of the year.

16. Kennel Club Final Court of Appeal The Kennel Club is the final authority for interpreting the rules and regulations of the Society in cases relative to Canine or Society matters 17. The Club shall not join any Federation of Societies or Clubs.

Club code of ethics

All members agree to abide by Kennel Club Rules and the Rules and General Code of Ethics of the Northern Pomeranian Club. Club members:

1) Will properly house, feed, water and exercise all dogs under their care and arrange for appropriate veterinary attention if and when required.

2) Will agree without reservation that any veterinary surgeon who performs an operation on any of their dogs which alters the natural conformation of the animal or who carries out a Caesarean Section on a bitch, may report such operation to the Kennel Club.

3) Will agree that no healthy puppy will be culled. Puppies, which may not conform to the Breed Standard, should be placed in suitable homes.

4) Will abide by all aspects of the Animal Welfare Act.

5) Will not create demand for, nor supply, puppies that have been docked illegally.

6) Will agree not to breed from a dog or bitch which could be in any way harmful to the dog or to the breed. 7) Will not allow any of their dogs to roam at large or to cause a nuisance to neighbours or those carrying out official duties.

8) Will ensure that their dogs wear properly tagged collars and will be kept leashed or under effective control when away from home.

9) Will clean up after their dogs in public places or anywhere their dogs are being exhibited.

10) Will only sell dogs where there is a reasonable expectation of a happy and healthy life and will help with the re-homing of a dog if the initial circumstances change.

11) Will supply written details of all dietary requirements and give guidance concerning responsible ownership when placing dogs in a new home.

12) Will ensure that all relevant Kennel Club documents are provided to the new owner when selling or transferring a dog, and will agree,in writing, to forward any relevant documents at the earliest opportunity, if not immediately available.

13) Will not sell any dog to commercial dog wholesalers, retail pet dealers or directly or indirectly allow dogs to be given as a prize or donation in a competition of any kind. Will not sell by sale or auction Kennel Club registration certificates as stand alone items (not accompanying a dog).

14) Will not knowingly misrepresent the characteristics of the breed nor falsely advertise dogs nor mislead any person regarding the health or quality of a dog.

15) The committee reserves the right to request an explanation from any member who fails to abide by the Code of Ethics. Breach of these provisions may result in expulsion from club membership, and/or disciplinary action by the Kennel Club and/or reporting to the relevant authorities for legal action, as appropriate