THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR GERMAN SHEPHERD DOGS

FOUNDER: THE LATE FRANK RIEGO

The Association shall be named "THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR GERMAN SHEPHERD DOGS".

The aims and objects for which the Association is established are:-

To unite all those devoted to the Breed into one friendly body so that the best interests of all G.S.D. (Alsatian) owners may be studied and the greatest measure of co-operation obtained.

To form a Judging List for Breed, Obedience and Working Trials.

To support Shows by means of guaran­tee, special prizes and the like for B.A.G.S.D. Members and the Breed.

To enter into friendly communication with foreign clubs devoted to the Breed.

To form Branches at suitable centres for the furthering of the interests of the Association and the Breed.

To assist Branches to hold Matches, etc., to arrange competitions among such Branches and to do all things reasonably possible to assist the members thereof.

RULES AND REGULATIONS (as in force at January 2002)

1-The Association shall be governed by an Executive Committee which shall consist of 13 members, who shall be elected by postal Ballot, when necessary, as provided for in Rule 10 hereof, and who shall have power to take decisions on any matter whatsoever in any way affecting the Association.

1a-The property of the Association shall be vested in four Trustees who shall be appointed by the Executive Committee and the property of the Association shall be vested in them to be dealt with by them as the Committee may from time to time direct by resolution (of which an entry in the Minute Book shall be conclusive evidence). The Trustees shall be indemnified against risk and expenses out of the property of the Association. The Trustees shall hold office until death or resignation or until removal from office by the Executive Committee. Where by reason of such death, resignation or removal it is necessary that a new Trustee or Trustees be appointed, the Executive Committee shall nom­inate the person or persons to be appointed the new Trustee or Trustees.

For the purpose of giving effect to such nom­ination the Secretary of the Association is hereby nominated the person to appoint new Trustees of the Association within the meaning of Section 38 of the Trustee Act 1925 and the Secretary shall by deed duly appoint the person or persons so nominated by the Executive Committee.

2-The Officers of the Association shall con­sist of President, a General Secretary and/or Treasurer, and a Director of Branches, who shall be considered to hold office permanently until resignation, removal or death.

3-The President, and Director of Branches shall be automatically members of the Executive Committee with power to partake in the proceedings and to register votes. The General Secretary and/or Treasurer shall auto­matically be members of the Executive Committee.

4-Any Officer may be removed at any time by a majority vote of two-thirds of the members present and voting at a Special Meeting of the Executive Committee.

5-Any casual vacancy occurring amongst the Officers or the Executive Committee shall be filled by the Executive Committee who shall appoint a person from the same area to fill the vacancy, but the person so appointed shall hold office for such period only as the person in whose place he/she is appointed would have held office if the vacancy had not occurred.

6-The Executive Committee shall have power to co-opt members in addition up to four, who shall have no voting power.

7-The quorum for a meeting of the Executive Committee shall be eight.

8-The three senior members of the Executive Committee shall retire at the end of each year and shall be considered as being available (or re-election, except that every fourth year the four Senior members shall retire and be considered as being available tor re-election.

9-AII candidates (or membership for the Executive Committee must be proposed and seconded in writing and a postal ballot if nec­essary, taken annually to elect members.

10-The ballot papers shall be sent to each fully paid-up member of the Association in each respective area, and the votes be counted and the result certified by scrutineers appointed by the Executive Committee, in the case of a tie in voting, a second ballot to be held between those who have tied, in the respective area.

11-Fourteen days notice shall be given of the holding of any meetings of the Executive Committee except in the case of an emer­gency.

12-There shall be no power to vote by proxy nor to demand a poll at any meeting of the Executive Committee.

13-The Executive Committee shall annually elect a Chairman and a Vice-Chairman from amongst their number. The Chairman of the Executive Committee shall be automatically Chairman of the Association.

14-Any member of the Executive Committee who fails to attend three consecutive meetings without satisfactory excuse shall forfeit his seat and shall be ineligible for re-election for 12 months.

15-The Executive Committee shall have power to take a referendum of members by a postal ballot should they deem such a proce­dure desirable.

16-The Executive Committee shall cause the Funds of the Association to be deposited with Bankers (or invest at suitable return) in the name of the Association into which all revenue of the Association shall be paid, and from which withdrawals shall only be made on the signature of two or more Officers, one of whom shall be the Treasurer.

16a-lf at any time the Association, at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting shall pass a resolution authorising the Executive Committee to borrow money, the Executive Committee shall thereupon be empowered to borrow for the purpose of the Association such amount of money either at one time or from time to time and at such rate of interest and in such form and manner and upon such security as shall be specified in such resolution and thereupon the Trustees of the Association shall, at the direction of the Executive Committee make all such disposi­tions of the property of the Association or any part thereof and enter into such agreements in relation thereto as the Executive Committee may deem proper for giving security for such loans and interest.

All Members of the Association whether voting on such resolution or not and all persons becoming members of the Association after the passing of such resolution shall be deemed to have assented to the same as if they had voted in favour of such resolution.

17-The Executive Committee shall cause account to be kept of the finances of the Association. The Books to be kept at the office of the organisation or at such other place as may from time to time be decided.

18-The Executive Committee may call a Conference of Branches at any time should they consider such action necessary. This Conference shall be composed of the Officers, Members of the Executive Committee and one Member from the Committee of each Branch of the Association.

CHAIRMAN

19-The Chairman, shall when present, take the chair at all meetings of the Association, the Executive Committee and the Delegates Conference and shall in addition to his/her vote as a member of the Association, have a cast­ing vote.

General Secretary and/or Treasurer

20-The General Secretary shall on all occa­sions in the execution of his/her office act under the control and direction of the Executive Committee. He/she shall summon and attend meetings and take minutes of the proceedings and shall keep the documents and papers of the Association in such manner as the Executive Committee may from time to time decide.

21-The Treasurer shall receive all monies due to the Association and shall pay the debts of the Association as the Executive Committee may from time to time direct. He/she shall, whenever required to do so, render to the Executive Committee or a General or Special Meeting of the Association, an account of the monies received and expended by him/her on behalf of the Association.

ANNUAL RETURNS TO THE KENNEL CLUB

The Officers acknowledge that during 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 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 Society which may occur during the course of the year.

General

22-The membership of the Association shall be open to all, but no person shall be accepted or become a member who is ineligible for showing at Shows promoted under Kennel Club Rules and Regulations.

23-Every person wishing to become a member shall submit a signed application form together with the full subscription for the remainder of the current year, which shall be refunded should the application not be accepted.

24-Acceptance of Membership of the Association shall constitute acceptance of the Rules and Regulations now or here-after in force.

25-The Membership Subscription for a fully paid-up member of the Association including third party insurance shall be £11.00 single or £12.00 married couples or two joint owners, per calendar year, expiring on 31st December, and this shall allow a member to Show at any Shows promoted by or in the name of the Association, and any of its Branches, and com­pete for all Prizes, Cups, Specials, etc., unless otherwise stated in the Schedule.

Children up to the age of 18 are included in the Joint Membership free of charge, but have no voting powers.

The fees for Senior Citizens will be reduced by   £1.00   on   both   Single   and   Joint ' memberships.

Members taking Joint Membership have sep­arate voting powers but may only be members of the same Branch.

26-The Annual Subscription is due on the 1 st January and notification will be given in the dog press. No member shall be allowed to vote or compete for any of the prizes of the Association or in any way whatsoever enjoy the privileges of membership until his current subscriptions and all other outstanding debts due by him to the Association shall have been paid to Headquarters.

27-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.

28-The financial year shall commence January 1st and close December 31st. Members of the Executive Committee shall be entitled to inspect the books and Accounts of the Association at any reasonable time.

29-The Accounts shall be audited by an Auditor appointed by the Executive Committee.

30-The Rules of the Association may not be altered except at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting, and such alter­ations shall not be brought into force until the Kennel Club has been advised and given its approval of the alterations.

31-Any member who shall be suspended under Kennel Club Rule A42j(4) and or 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.

32-Any member of the Association being in arrears with his/her subscription or with any monies or prizes payable or to be delivered to the Association for three months may, at the discretion of the Executive Committee, be announced in the publication of the Association as a defaulter and shall either without or in addition to such publication be liable to be expelled from the Association at any time after such default without prejudice to his/her liability for all monies payable to the Association by him/her. Provided however that such member shall be given at his/her last known address, 14 days notice in writing of the intention of the Executive Committee to deal with him/her under this article.

33-The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held at a place date and time to be decided by the Executive Committee, to receive accounts and return of new members of the Executive Committee.

34-The procedure to call an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting shall require not less than 500 signatures placed before the Executive Committee, and these to be obtained by circu­larising Branches.

35-14 days notice shall be given of any General Meeting.

36-25 members shall be a quorum at a General or Extra-Ordinary General Meeting of the Association.

37-The Kennel Club shall be the final Court of Appeal in all matters in dispute between the Association and its members concerning the Association affairs and/or management, no matter in what manner arising.

38-ln the event the Association being dis­solved for any reason or otherwise ceasing to exist as a Registered Society all Challenge Cups and Trophies and other property of the Association shall become vested in the Kennel Club to be applied by the governing body of that Club in their discretion, following in the case of Cups and Trophies the wishes of the Donors as far as reasonably possible. Provided always that for the purposes of this rule any property belonging to any of the Branches shall continue to belong to such Branches notwithstanding the dissolution of the Association and in particular any funds belong­ing to a Branch and deposited with Bankers in accordance with Rule 49 shall be the property of that Branch and not the property of the Association.

39-No member of the Association, other than the persons duly authorised in this behalf, shall communicate in any way with the press as representing the Association, nor any of its Branches.

40-The Association shall not join any federa­tion of Societies or Clubs without the approval of the Kennel Club.

BRANCHES

41-Any Member of the Association shall be a member of the Branch of his/her choice, and shall be entitled to receive notice of meetings, etc., and to partake in all the activities of the Branch.

42-Branches shall abide by the Rules and Regulations of the Association and shall in all matters be subject to the ruling of the Executive Committee.

43-The Secretary and Treasurer of a Branch shall be nominated and elected by the members at a branch AGM. Period of three years before seeking re-election. The Branch Secretary and Treasurer are duly responsible to the Executive Committee of the Association and shall be subject to their approval.

43a-Any Member, or Branch Officer or Committee Member, found (after full investiga­tion by the Executive Committee, where the member concerned has had an opportunity to represent him or herself), to be acting against the interests of the Branch and/or Association, may be removed from their position by the Executive Committee (subject to a two-thirds majority of those present and voting), and may at the discretion of the Executive Committee, be prevented from holding future Office within the Association and its Branches.

44-Branches    shall    form    their    own Committees and generally conduct their own domestic affairs, but they must not pledge the credit of the Association in any way whatso­ever, nor arrange Shows without the written consent of the Executive Committee.

44a-Junior Members between the age of 14 and 18 inclusive, are permitted to serve on Branch Committees without voting powers.

45-The Branch Committee shall annually elect a Chairman and a Vice Chairman from among their number.

46-The Branch Secretary must forward a copy of the Minutes of the Branch Committee Meetings to the General Secretary for approval not later than one week after such meeting has been held and before the Minute has been confirmed or acted upon.

47-Each Branch shall be entitled to send one member of the Committee to meetings of any Conference of Branches and they repre­sent the Branch absolutely and record votes in accordance with their wishes and instructions.

48-An Agenda shall be sent to all Branches 14 days in advance of a Delegates Conference so that the above may be carried into effect.

49-AII Branch Funds, however obtained, shall be deposited with Bankers in the name of the Branch and the Association, and should the Branch be dissolved (or any reason or other­wise cease to exist as a Branch, all Cups, Trophies, Monies and other property of the Branch shall become the property of the Association absolutely.

50-The Branch Committee shall cause account to be kept of the finances of the Branch and such accounts together with all records and papers of the Branch, shall be pro­duced at any reasonable time for inspection by the Executive Committee or any duly autho­rised representative thereof.

50a-Neither the Executive Committee nor the Association may be held responsible for any liability whether financial or otherwise incurred by any Branch or Branches and no Branch may be held responsible for any such liability incurred by the Executive Committee or the Association.

51-The Executive Committee shall require at least two signatures on all Cheques drawn on Branch Accounts, and these may not be mem­bers of the same family.

52-AII Branch Secretaries must notify the General Secretary by giving 21 days notice of their Branch General Meeting, together with Agenda, and must also provide after the said meeting a copy of their Branch's audited Balance Sheet.

53-No other Breed but the German Shepherd Dog (Alsatian) shall be admitted to Branch Training Classes.

WORKING TRIALS

54-A Committee shall be elected, the senior members of which shall retire annually, and may be considered as being available for re-election. This Committee to be known as the B.A.G.S.D. Working Trials Committee. It shall run its affairs in accordance with rules apper­taining to Branches and shall be responsible for organising Trials throughout the Country in accordance with Kennel dub Rules, on behalf of the Association.    The Working Trials Committee shall be directly responsible to the Executive Committee.

Home