THE OLD ENGLISH SHEEPDOG
CLUB OF SCOTLAND
CLUB'S CONSTITUTION FOR 2007 - 2008
1. NAME AND OBJECT
The Club shall be called THE OLD ENGLISH SHEEPDOG CLUB OF SCOTLAND and the object
of the club shall be to further the interests of the breed in Scotland and to
support shows for the purpose of stimulating public interest.
2. OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
The Club shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer,
Press Officer, Trophy Secretary, a committee of six and an unlimited number
of members. The President and the Vice-President may hold office for a maximum
of three consecutive years following election each year at the A.G.M. The other
officers shall hold office for one year following election at the A.G.M. Qualification
for office shall be service on the committee for one full year or more. All
offices shall be honorary. Voting shall be by majority only. Honorary Life Presidency
and Honorary Life Vice-Precidency should only be offered to persons who have
served as Officers of the Committee of the Club and who have shown outstanding
long term service on the Committee of the Club. Nominations for these honours
should be made only by the Committee at an Annual General Meeting and voted
on by the members present. A majority vote will suffice. Any Honorary Life President
or Honorary Life Vice-President may attend Committee Meetings but shall have
no voting rights other than at an AGM or SGM. There shall be only one Honorary
Life President at any one time.
3. COMMITTEE
The affairs of the Club shall be managed by a Committee consisting of twelve
members. The Officers shall be members of the Committee ex officio, and six
ordinary members of the Committee shall be elected each year at A.G.M.. All
Officers and Committee shall have full voting rights. Meetings of the Committee
shall be held as often as deemed necessary. A quorum for Committee Meetings
shall be six. The Committee shall be empowered to deal with any question not
provided for by the rules, or in the event of any vacancy in the Offices or
on the Committee by death, resignation, or otherwise, occurring after the A.G.M.
the Committee shall have the power to co-opt members onto the Committee. 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. The Committee shall
also be empowered to appoint Sub-committees, Judges and the allotment of guarantees
and special prizes. No individual who has been a member for less than one full
year may be elected onto the Committee.
4. ELECTION OF MEMBERS
Membership of the Club is open to members of families owning Old English Sheepdogs
or caring for the Club's rescue dogs. Applications for membership of the Club
should be formally made with the names of proposer and seconder, and submitted
to the Committee for approval. Honorary Life Membership should only be made
to persons who have displayed outstanding service to the Club or bobtails in
general. All nominations for this honour should be made only by the Committee
at an A.G.M. or S.G.M. and voted on by the members who are present. A majority
vote will suffice.
5. LIST OF MEMBERS
The society must make a list of members and their addresses available for inspection
if so requested by the members of the society or by the Kennel Club.
6. VOTING RIGHTS
Each member shall be entitled to one vote after three months membership. Postal
votes or proxy votes are not allowed. Voting shall be by secret ballot or show
of hands as decided by majority at meeting. Partners with joint membership shall
have one vote for each member of the partnership.
7. 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 discuss the disposal
of the Club's assets and the outcome of the meeting notified to the Kennel Club.
In the event of the winding up of the Club, all property including trophies
and funds belonging to the Club shall be disposed of by the Committee in such
manner as they may consider in the best interests of the Club, after having
paid off any debts due by the Club. A final statement of accounts with a record
of the disposal of the property of the Society 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 to the Kennel Club for the proper winding up
of the Club. Donors of Cups and Trophies should note that these are only accepted
by the Club as outright gifts and may be disposed of as part of the Club's assets.
8. CLUB ACCOUNTS
A banking account shall be held in the name of the Club at a Bank or Building
Society (approved by the Committee) into which all revenue of the Club shall
be paid and from which withdrawal shall only be made on the signature(s) of
the Treasurer and either the Secretary or the President. The Club accounts will
be certified annually by an outside qualified Accountant or two unqualified
individuals with accountancy experience and presented to the Members at the
A.G.M.
9. SUBSCRIPTIONS
The Annual Subscription shall be such an amount as agreed by members in General
Meeting and notified to the Kennel Club payable immediately following the end
of the financial year which is the 31st of December. No Member whose subscription
is unpaid is entitled to any of the privileges of Membership and if the Member
shall fail to pay outstanding subscriptions by the 1st of March his/her name
shall be automatically erased from the register. Acceptance back on the register
will be dependent upon a new application and payment of back arrears. Any Member
who has not intimated his resignation from the Club prior to the 31st December
in any year will be liable for the full amount of the subscription for the ensuing
year. No other payment to entitle to Membership.
10. EXPULSION OF MEMBERS
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 Society for the duration of the suspension
and/or disqualification.
If the conduct of any Member shall, in the opinion of the Committee of the Society
be injurious or likely to be injurious to the character or interests of the
Society, the Committee of the Society 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 Society 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 the 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 Society 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.
If the society expels any Member for discreditable conduct in connection with
dogs, Dog Shows, Trials or Competitions, the Society must report the matter
in writing to the Kennel Club within seven days and supply any particulars required.
11. GENERAL MEETINGS
The Financial Year of the Club shall be from the 1st of January to the 31st
of December. The Annual General Meeting shall be held before the 30th April
in each year, and notices stating the time and place of the Meeting shall be
posted to the Members of the Club or placed in 'Dog World' and 'Our Dogs' dog
papers not less than 21 days beforehand. The same procedure shall apply to Special
General Meetings. Nature of business to be conducted will be to receive the
report of the Committee and balance sheet, to elect Officers and Committee Members
and to discuss any resolution duly placed on the Agenda, of which 14 days prior
notice has been given to the Secretary. No Business shall be transacted at the
A.G.M. 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.
The Agenda will be circulated to the Members at the meeting. A Special General
Meeting shall be summoned by the Secretary if twelve Members or more send in
a signed requisition stating the subject to be discussed and requesting a Special
General Meeting to do so. The Committee of the Society is also empowered to
call a Special General Meeting. No Business other than that detailed on the
Agenda can be discussed at a Special General Meeting.
12. DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES
The Secretary shall call all Meetings of the Club and of its Committee and shall
record in the minute book the date and place of every Meeting and the proceedings.
The Secretary shall also conduct the correspondence of the Club, and make the
necessary returns to the Kennel Club. The Treasurer shall keep the accounts
showing in detail the financial affairs of the Club and these shall be made
up to the 31st December in each year for the year preceding, and duly audited,
shall be presented at the A.G.M. All monies collected by the Treasurer shall
be deposited in a bank account in the name of the Club. The operation of the
account shall require the signature(s) of the Treasurer and either the Secretary
or President. The Trophy Secretary shall keep the trophy book showing details
of the trophy winners, who shall sign for the trophy after it is presented.
All trophies with the exception of Specials and Replicas offered for annual
competition shall remain the property of the Club. Trophies which belong to
the Club must be returned to the Trophy Secretary prior to the relevant show
each year, by HAND OR REGISTERED POST.
13. AMENDMENTS TO RULES
The Rules of the Club may not be altered except at a General Meeting, the Agenda
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. New Rules or amendments introduced specifically
to meet Kennel Club requirements shall be adopted immediately and be included
in the Society's Constitution with effect from the Society's annual meeting.
14. ANNUAL RETURNS TO THE KENNEL CLUB
The Officers acknowledge that the month of January each year, Maintenance of
Title Fee will be forwarded to the Kennel Club by the Secretary for continuance
of Registration and that by the 31st of 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 Society
which may occur during the course of the year.
The Officers also acknowledge their duty to send a list of Members and their
addresses to the Kennel Club with the Annual Returns.
15. KENNEL CLUB AUTHORITY
The Kennel Club shall be the final Court of Appeal in all matters of dispute.
The Kennel Club is the final authority for interpreting the Rules and Regulations
of the Society in all cases relative to Canine or Society matters.
16. FEDERATION
The Society shall not join any Federation of Societies or Clubs.
17. BREED SOCIETY JUDGES LISTS
Registered Breed Societies must produce a list of Judges each year which must
be submitted to the Kennel Club as part of the Club's Annual Returns. The purpose
of the Breed Societies Judges Lists is to indicate to interested parties those
persons a Breed Society would support at differing levels of judging. Membership
of the Society must not be a prerequisite for inclusion in the lists. Judges
Lists should be divided into three parts namely, Al, A2, B and must indicate
the date on which the list will expire. On expiry a new list must be compiled.
Al List - must indicate persons whom the Society would support and who have
previously been approved by the Kennel Club to award Challenge Certificates
in the breed. (It should be noted that this list does not apply to breed societies
where the breed does not currently have Challenge Certificates).
A2 List - Must indicate all persons the Society would support to award Challenge
Certificates but, who as yet, have not been approved by the Kennel Club.
A3 List - Must indicate the persons the Society would support to award Challenge
Certificates but, who as yet, have been approved by the Kennel Club for inclusion
on the A2 list.
B List - Must indicate all persons the Society would support to judge the breed
without Challenge Certificates.
C List - Must indicate the persons the Society would support to judge up to
3 classes at Open Shows.
It is recommended that such lists be prepared by secret ballot of the Societies'
Committees and Societies must clearly indicate to Members the method by which
persons may be nominated for inclusion in the ballot and indicate the judging
experience necessary for inclusion of a person's name in the three lists.
18. UNDISCHARGED BANKRUPTS
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.
Rules revised and reprinted, 19th,
April, 1999
Margaret McWilliam, Honorary Secretary
CODE OF ETHICS
The following are the code of ethics in place with the OES Club of Scotland.
they are a guideline as to the expected conduct and behaviour of its members.
The minimum age for bitches to be mated is twenty-four months. But not if this
is the bitches first season. A bitch must not be mated for its first litter
after its fifth birthday.
A bitch must not be mated after its seventh birthday for its last litter.
Four litters maximum only in a bitch's lifetime.
Maximum number of litters for K.C. Registrations annually should not exceed
two. These will only be accepted when made by the registered owner irrespective
of the number of bitches owned by that kennel.
A bitch should not produce puppies from more than two consecutive seasons.
All animals used for breeding should be sound physically and of excellent temperament
and as true to breed type as possible.
All animals used for breeding should have been x-rayed and scored under the
B.V.A./KC/HD Scheme in an attempt to prevent the spread of hereditary defects.
Eye checks should have been undertaken in the B.V.A./KC Eye scheme.
A dog should not be used at stud under twelve months of age. The maximum number
of matings in any twelve months shall not exceed twenty. This does not include
re-mates.
No O.E.S. puppies to be "knowingly" sold on to pet shops, puppy dealers,
laboratories, or any person dealing in live stock for a living.
Members must sell only to carefully vetted or recommended homes, giving detailed
instructions on general management and, most important, a Diet Sheet which carries
further information on feeding beyond the puppy stage. Prospective owners should
also be made aware of the problems of owning an O.E.S. and given guidance on
training and exercising, and grooming.
Seven to nine weeks is soon enough for the puppies to leave their dam.
When selling overseas, sell only if the buyer is known or recommended and residing
in a country having similar or better standards of animal welfare as in the
United Kingdom.
Members should encourage buyers to keep in touch with them throughout the life
of the dog and encourage them to become members of a breed club, even if they
are not interested in showing.
Members should never breed or keep more dogs than can be looked after personally
with individual attention either by yourself or a kennel assistant. The practice
of placing bitches out on breeding terms is unacceptable. A Member must be prepared
to take back any dog whose home may no longer be able to cope with it and if
necessary to buy back on a reasonable basis.
This is the conduct expected from Members of the O.E.S. Club of Scotland.
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OLD ENGLISH SHEEPDOG CLUB OF SCOTLAND
Secretary; Mrs. Margaret McWilliam
16 Woodneuk Road, Gartcosh,
Glasgow, Scotland G69 8AG
Tel; 01236 874129