Revised Rules August 2006

1.NAME-The Club shall be known as Upper Valley Dog Club hereinafter called “the Club”.

2.OBJECTIVES-the objectives of the Club shall be

2.1 To help handlers to develop socially well adjusted dogs
2.2 To encourage handlers to participate in the Kennel Club’s Good Citizen Dog
Scheme at Bronze, Silver and Gold levels.
2.3 To work to national obedience standards with the above scheme in mind
2.4 To promote Flyball for suitably trained dogs.
2.5 To raise awareness of a range of ways in which dogs might be developed to their full potential.

3.OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE

3.1 The Committee shall be responsible for the running of the Club and the welfare of its members. This Committee shall consist of Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, (minus Assistant Treasurer), up to three elected members and the Head Trainer.
3.2 The officers and Committee shall be elected at the AGM subject to being nominated and seconded by two members of the Club.
3.3 The officers and Committee shall retire every year at the Annual General Meeting but shall be eligible for re-election.
3.4 Officers and Committee members shall have full voting rights at Committee meetings, except the Chairman of the meeting who shall have a casting vote only where equality of voting occurs. Decision making at Committee meetings shall be by consensus and count by a show of hands. Any member present may request a secret ballot.
3.5 Should any Committee member be unable to serve the post shall be declared vacant and filled by the next unsuccessful candidate with the highest number of votes at the Annual General Meeting. Should no such candidate be available the Committee shall have the right to invite any full member onto the Committee until the next Annual General Meeting.
3.6 The procedure described at 3.5 should apply if any officer is unable to serve except that the temporary appointee must be from within the Committee.
3.7 Any officer or Committee member wishing to resign from office shall notify the Secretary in writing. Such resignation shall be effective from the date of the Secretary’s receipt and the Secretary shall report the resignation at the next meeting of the Committee.

4.PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT

The Club may appoint a President and Vice-President at the Annual General Meeting, such appointment to be reviewed annually.

5.MEMBERSHIP

5.1 The Club shall consist of an unlimited number of members whose names and addresses shall be held on a database. Membership shall be open to all interested dog owners.
5.2 Honorary Life Membership, free of liability for subscription, may be conferred on any person in recognition of services to the Club. Nomination and voting shall be in accordance with the election of officers and committee.
5.3 Acceptance of membership of the Club shall constitute acceptance of the Rules of the Club, now or hereafter in force.
5.4 Each dog in training must be registered with the Club.
5.5 All members over the age of 16 provided they have paid their subscriptions shall be eligible to vote at any general or Special meeting or in an election.

6.SUBSCRIPTIONS AND FEES

6 1 The membership year shall be from 1st February to 31st January. Subscriptions shall be paid annually to the Treasurer, fall due on 1st February and must be paid before the AGM. Any member joining after 1st November in any year shall pay a full year subscription which will last until 31st January fifteen months later.
6.2 The subscription and fees shall be determined annually at the Annual General Meeting.
6.3 Any person wishing to become a member shall pay the year’s subscription on their second attendance and submit a current vaccination certificate and/or proof of full inoculation. The certificate will be checked on renewal of subscription each year.
6.4 All members attending a training session shall pay a fee for each dog in training.

7 .MEETINGS

7.1 Annual General Meetings

7.1 1 An Annual General Meeting will be held in April to receive the report of the Committee, the balance sheet, to elect officers and committee and to discuss any proposal placed on the Agenda, of which prior notice has been given to the Secretary. No business shall be transacted at an Annual General Meeting unless notice appears on the agenda with the exception of routine matters or such matters as the Chairman considers urgent.
7.1 2 Not less than four clear weeks before the date of the Annual General Meeting, the Secretary will send to all members an agenda and notice of the meeting containing a request for proposals and nominations for officers, Committee members and Honorary members. Nominations bearing the agreement of the nominee and the seconding of two members shall be forwarded all in writing to the Secretary two clear weeks prior to the date of the AGM, accompanied by brief biographical notes no more than 100 words in length written by each candidate.
7.1.3 Voting may take place in absentia provided that the ballot paper is with the Secretary one week before the AGM.

7.1.4 Voting at Annual General Meetings

7.1.4.1 Each member present shall be entitled to one vote per motion. The Chairman shall have a casting vote only where equality of votes occurs.
7.1.4.2 Voting shall be by show of hands plus any written votes received unless a request is made for a secret ballot. Such requests must be proposed and seconded.
7.1.4.3 A quorum shall be the Chairman or Vice Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary and one Committee member, plus three members.

7.2 Special General Meetings

7.2.1 A Special General Meeting may be convened at any time, either by the Committee or written request addressed to the Secretary and signed by a minimum of ten members or one fifth of members whichever is greater. Members shall receive at least two weeks notice and agenda in writing of a Special General Meeting.
7.2.2 No business other than that detailed on the agenda can be discussed.

7.2.3 Voting at Special General Meetings

7.2.3.1 Arrangements shall be as for an Annual General Meeting except that voting shall be by secret ballot and require a majority of two thirds of members present to be brought into effect.

7.3 Committee Meetings

7.3.1 Meetings of the Committee shall be as often as deemed necessary by the Committee but at least three times a year.
7.3.2 A quorum for Committee meetings shall be four members.
7.3.3 The Committee may invite anyone whether or not Club members to attend a Committee meeting but such attendees shall not be entitled to vote.
7.3.4 The Committee shall receive at least seven days notice of meetings in writing plus agenda and any relevant papers.
7.3.5 Minutes of any meeting shall be available at all reasonable times to Club members

8.ACCOUNTS

8.1 The financial year shall be from 1st February to 31st January the following year.
8.2 A banking account shall beheld in the name of the Club at a bank approved by the Committee. All Club revenue shall be paid into this account and all disbursements made from it, on the signature of two members of the Committee.
8.3 The Treasurer shall maintain a book of accounts showing receipts and payment and prepare an Income and Expenditure account and balance sheet made up to 31st January each year for submission to the auditor.
8.4 The accounts must be audited annually by an auditor independent of the Committee. The accounts must be certified by either a qualified accountant or by two individuals with accountancy experience.

9 AMENDMENTS TO RULES

The Rules of the Club cannot be amended except at a General Meeting the notice for which contains specific proposals for such amendment.

10 DISSOLUTION OF THE CLUB

10.1 The Club may not be dissolved except at a Special General Meeting called for the purpose.
10.2 Should the Club be dissolved, then all assets of the Club remaining after debts have been discharged must be distributed equally among the following registered charities:1) Guide Dogs for the Blind 2) Blue Cross 3) Hearing Dogs Association 4) Search and Rescue Dogs Association 5) Cambridge University Veterinary College Small Animals Research.
10.3 Rule 10.2 cannot be revoked or the amended, or the list of charities altered, except by a vote at a Special General Meeting.

11 NOTICES

All notices shall be handed to each member in a sealed envelope bearing the member’s name or sent to the last address recorded for each member in the database. Notices shall be considered to be duly received when posted. Members shall advise the Secretary in writing of any change of address.

12 CONDUCT DURING TRAINING SESSIONS

12.1 Handlers and dogs spectating during a training session shall not create any disturbance, nor shall bitches in season be allowed in or near the training area.
12.2 Members shall accept the Club’s training methods. Any member found ill treating or causing injury to a dog may be suspended by the instructor and the circumstances referred to the Committee.
12.3 There shall be no questioning of trainers’ methods in public either between trainers or between members and trainers.
This does not preclude professional discussion among trainers based on mutual respect or private discussion between handler and trainer.
In the event of a proposed discussion in Committee on trainers’ methods this must be by prior agreement with the Chairman.
12.4 The handler of any dog fouling the Club premises inside or outside or any area in connection with the Club must remove and clean such indiscretion. All handlers must always bring with them the means necessary to do this.