1 NAME
The Club shall be called THE HUNGARIAN VIZSLA CLUB (hereinafter called The Club).
2 OBJECTS
The objects of The Club shall be to further interest in the Breed in all respects at Shows, Field Trials and other events wherever possible and to maintain the highest possible standards in respect of the breeding and future health and well being of the Hungarian Vizsla.
3 ORDINARY MEMBERS AND LIFE MEMBERS
The Club shall consist of an unlimited number of Members and Honorary Life Members. The Club will make a list of members and their addresses available for inspection if so requested by the Members of The Club or The Kennel Club. Candidates for membership of The Club shall be accepted upon payment of the annual subscription, and agreement to abide by the rules of The Club, a copy of which should be provided by The Club at the time of joining. Applications must be approved by a two thirds majority of the Committee Annual subscription shall be agreed by members of The Club at an annual general meeting and shall be reviewed annually. No member whose subscription is unpaid shall be entitled to any privileges of membership and, if unpaid by 1st February, such membership shall be deemed to have lapsed and a new application for membership will be required. Any members joining on or after the 1st October shall be entitled to the following year’s membership. The voting rights of members shall be one vote each and in the case of joint membership each partner shall be entitled to one vote. There will be no proxy votes. A member may resign on giving notice in writing to the Secretary of The Club but shall not be entitled to receive back any money which may have been paid to The Club or on account of The Club during his/her membership, or to have any claim against The Club and must reapply for membership in the ordinary way as if he/she had not been a member. Any member who shall be suspended under Kennel Club Rule A42j (4) and/or any member whose dog(s) is/are disqualified under Kennel Club Rule A42j (8) shall ipso facto cease to be a member of The Club for the duration of the suspension and/or disqualification. On the recommendation of the committee and after prior discussion by the committee members may be considered for the distinction of Honorary Life membership at the annual general meeting.
4 OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
The management of The Club shall be in the hands of three officers, the President, the Honorary Secretary and the Honorary Treasurer, all of whom shall be ex-officio voting members of the committee, and a committee of ten from whom they themselves shall elect a Chairman and Vice Chairman (to officiate at meetings), at the first committee meeting after the AGM. The President shall retire quinquennially but be eligible for re-election. The Honorary Secretary, the Honorary Treasurer and the committee members shall retire annually but be eligible for re-election. Nomination forms and request for agenda items to be posted eight weeks prior to the annual general meeting, the minutes of the previous annual general meeting to be included with the mailing. Agenda items and nominations, which must be proposed and seconded by fully paid up members in writing, together with the written consent of the person being nominated, to be received by the Secretary six weeks before the annual general meeting. Members nominated for office must have served on the committee or as an officer for at least one year immediately prior to the year of their nomination. Members nominated to serve on the committee must have been fully paid up members for at least one year immediately prior to their nomination. The agenda and voting slips to be posted to members four weeks prior to the annual general meeting. Elections shall be by postal ballot. Completed voting slips shall be posted to an independent scrutiniser two weeks prior to the annual general meeting. The committee may co-opt to fill any vacancy that may arise among the committee. Such co-opted member will serve and act without voting powers until the next annual general meeting at which an election will be held. No person whilst an undischarged bankrupt may serve on the committee of or hold any other office or appointment within a Kennel Club registered society.
5 MANAGEMENT
For the transaction of business at a committee meeting a quorum shall be five elected members of the committee including any one officer and, except in an emergency, at least fourteen days notice of a meeting shall be given to all officers and committee members stating a time and place. Any officer or member of the committee who, without reasonable cause, fails to attend two consecutive meetings or fails to forward their apologies in writing to the Secretary prior to the meeting may be suspended for the remainder of the year and from nomination in the following year. The Minutes of all meetings of the committee shall be prepared by the Secretary, agreed by the committee and signed by the Chairman. They shall be circulated as required before the next Meeting. There shall be no proxy votes at a committee meeting. The committee shall have the power to call meetings, to arbitrate in matters of dispute with The Club, to deal at its absolute discretion with the funds and property of The Club and to settle any question or matter not at present provided for in the rules. Any decision taken under this rule shall remain until the following Annual General Meeting. The committee may cause sub-committees to be formed to be responsible to it as it may require. Minutes will be taken at all sub-committee meetings and forwarded to the next full committee meeting If the conduct of any member, in the opinion of the committee, is injurious or likely to be injurious to the character or interest of the Club, the committee 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 shall be called for the purpose of passing a resolution to expel the member. Notice of a Special General Meeting must be sent to the accused, giving particulars of complaint and advising of the place date and hour of the meeting in order that he/she may attend and offer an explanation. If at the meeting a resolution to expel is passed by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting, he/she shall thereupon cease 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 conditions as The Kennel Club may impose.
6 GENERAL MEETINGS AND SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS
An Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than 30th April in each year for the following purposes: To adopt the minutes of the previous year’s annual general meeting To receive the reports of the committee and the balance sheet To announce the results of the postal ballot naming officers and members of the committee To discuss any item placed on the agenda. At an annual general meeting only the business appearing on the agenda will be permitted, any other business may be dealt with at the discretion of the chairman of the meeting. At least twenty-eight days notice of the date, time and place of an annual general meeting shall be given in Our Dogs and Dog World. A Special General Meeting shall be called by the Honorary Secretary at the request of the committee, or, if twenty members send a signed request stating the subject to be discussed. No business other than the matter on the Agenda can be discussed at a special general meeting. Notice of a Special General Meeting must be given not less than twenty-one days before the event.
7 CLUB ACCOUNTS
The fiscal year of The Club shall be from 1st January to 31st December. A banking account shall be maintained in the name of The Club into which all revenue of The Club shall be paid and from which withdrawals shall be made on the signatures of two or more unrelated persons from the following, the Honorary Secretary, the Honorary Treasurer and the Committee Chairman. The accounts shall be maintained by the Honorary Treasurer. Audited accounts shall be submitted to The Kennel Club annually. The Officers acknowledge that during the month of January each year, the Maintenance of Title fee will be forwarded to The Kennel Club either by the Secretary or by direct debit, for the continuance of registration, and that by the 31st July 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, will be forwarded to The Kennel Club. The Officers also acknowledge their duty to inform The Kennel Club of any change of Secretary which may occur during the course of the year. All expenses incurred by the Secretary, Treasurer or any other member of The Club authorised by the Committee shall be reimbursed from funds of The Club.
8 CUPS, TROPHIES AND SPECIAL AWARDS
A cup steward shall be appointed by the committee from among its members who shall be responsible for keeping records of awards and signatures of recipients. All cups and trophies donated to The Club shall be deemed the sole property of The Club and it is only under this condition that they shall be accepted. Cups, Trophies and Special awards, unless specifically stated otherwise, shall be available only to fully paid up members of The Club
9 BREEDERS CODE OF BEST PRACTICE
Members will consider the welfare of their dogs and the benefit to the Breed above any personal gain or profit Members will only breed from Vizslas that are of sound temperament, physically sound and free of known hereditary diseases, which show natural ability and conform to the Breed Standard as published by the Kennel Club Members using their dogs at stud:-
a. Will not allow their dog to serve bitches of less than 2 years old, or bitches that will whelp after their 8th birthday
b. Will not allow their dog to be used at stud until it is 18 months of age
c. Will hip score their stud dog, obtaining and assessing the results PRIOR to mating (Scores that are high by breed standards or disproportionate in score from hip to hip should be discounted from breeding)
d. Will ensure that bitches to be covered meet the Breed Standard and this Code of Best Practice
e. Will not allow their stud dog to be used more than three times in its first year of use, until the health and quality of its progeny is proven.
Members will not allow their bitches:-
a. To be mated before their 2nd birthday or to whelp after their 8th birthday
b. To whelp more than once in any 12 months
c. To have more than three litters in her lifetime
d. Will hip score their bitches, obtaining and assessing the results PRIOR to mating. (Scores that are high by breed standards or disproportionate in score from hip to hip should be discounted from breeding)
e. Will ensure that their chosen stud dog meets the Breed Standard and this code of Best Practice.
Members will register all stock with the Kennel Club. Kennel Club registration documents will be available to the purchaser at point of sale, together with a 5-generation pedigree Members will be fair, open and honest with buyers and prospective purchasers, and will NOT misrepresent themselves or their stock, or the stud dog. Buyers will be encouraged to present their puppy/dog to their veterinary surgeon within 3 working days of purchase. Should a veterinarian at such an examination advise that the dog is not in good health, the purchaser should authorise their veterinarian to confirm the diagnosis with the breeder. Members will verify this opinion and, if asked, take back the dog and refund the purchase price, or agree to a mutually acceptable compromise Beyond the 3-day warranty Members will be encouraged to take responsibility for any progeny bred by them, or supplied by them, which finds itself in need of re-homing.
Members will be expected to assist in finding a solution before recourse to any breed rescue or welfare organisation. Members also agree that they will comply with the General Code of Ethics contained in Appendix A.
10 WINDING UP
The property of The Club shall be vested in the committee, and in the event of The Club ceasing to exist, a General Meeting shall be called to decide upon the disposal of any assets. The donors of the cups and trophies shall be consulted and each cup or trophy shall be disposed of in accordance with wishes of the donor. The Kennel Club shall be notified as soon as a decision is made to wind up The Club and within six months of such date they shall be supplied with the final statement of the account and a record showing the disposal of property belonging to The Club.
11 KENNEL CLUB AUTHORITY
The Kennel Club is the final authority for interpreting the rules and regulations of The Club and in all cases relative to Canine and Club matters. The Club shall not join any federation of Societies or Clubs except as approved by The Kennel Club
12 DATA PROTECTION
Information from membership records and entry forms may be held on computer media for the preparation of membership records and show catalogues, and shall only be disclosed to such bodies to which The Club has a legal obligation to do so.
