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	Constitution, Code of Ethics, & By Laws Northwest Cardigan Fanciers
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	Northwest Cardigan Fanciers (Revised on 4/2006) Constitution Article 1 Name & Objectives Section 1 The name of the club shall be the Northwest Cardigan Fanciers. Section 2 The objectives of the club shall be: A. To encourage and promote quality in the breeding of purebred Cardigan Welsh Corgis and, if at all possible, to bring their natural qualities to perfection. B. To urge members and breeders to accept the standard of the breed as approved by the American Kennel Club as the only standard of excellence by which Cardigan Welsh Corgis shall be judged. C. To do all in its power to protect and advance the interest of the breed by encouraging sportsmanlike competition at dog shows, obedience trials, herding trials, tracking trials, agility trials, temperament tests, and all other dog-related events. D. To conduct sanctioned and licensed specialty shows, obedience trials, herding trials, tracking trials, under the rules of the American Kennel Club, as well as agility and temperament tests. E. To protect and advance good breeding practices among Cardigan Welsh Corgi breeders in accordance with our Code of Ethics. F. To educate the public and promote the practices of responsible pet ownership by example and education. G. To support entries at all-breed shows and regional specialty shows. Section 3 The club shall not be conducted or operated for profit and no part of any profit or remainder or residue from dues or donations to the club shall inure to the benefit of any member or individual. Section 4 The members of the club shall adopt and may from time to time revise such BY-LAWS as may be required to carry out these objectives.
	____________________________ Northwest Cardigan Fanciers Each person applying for membership will certify that he/she will endorse and subscribe to the rules and regulations of the American Kennel Club and the Northwest Cardigan Fanciers and will abide by the Code of Ethics as set forth below. Each applicant understands that violations of this code may result in disciplinary action by the Board. Code of Ethics 1. Each member will consider the welfare of the breed when engaged in any activities involving the breeding, exhibiting, and selling of Cardigan Welsh Corgis and will refrain from any activities that would be prejudicial to the best interests of the breed and this club. 2. Each member of Northwest Cardigan Fanciers is expected to comply with the following procedures: A. Any member who contemplates breeding a litter, or who allows the use of his/her stud dog to the same end, shall direct his/her efforts towards producing Cardigan Welsh Corgis of exceptional quality. B. Only dogs and bitches of characteristic type, sound structure, and temperament, without serious inherited defects, shall be used for breeding. Members will refrain from any dogs and bitches whose reproduction is likely to be detrimental to the breed. C. If a dog or bitch has produced any offspring with serious inherited defects detrimental to the animal’s well-being, such as blindness, deafness, or impairment of the vital function, and produces like results with a different mating partner, the owner shall refrain from further use of this animal. D. An owner of a bitch shall not engage in the overbreeding of his/her bitch for profit with no regard for quality. A bitch should not be bred more often than two of three consecutive heat seasons, and then ONLY if she is in robust health and NEVER at the time of her first season, unless her first season occurs after twelve (12) months of age. E. A member should not undertake the breeding of a bitch unless he/she is prepared to keep the resultant puppies until each is suitably placed even if it takes longer than anticipated. A member offering a dog at stud should request similar assurances from the owners of outside bitches. F. No member of the club shall engage in the wholesaling of litters of Cardigan Welsh Corgis or the selling of breeding stock to such places as pet dealers, catalog house, or other commercial sources of distribution, nor shall he/she engage in the overbreeding of his/her bitches for profit with no regard for quality. G. Prices of puppies, adults and stud services should be based on individual quality. All puppies and adults shall be sold in a clean and healthy condition and shall be old enough, at least eight (8) weeks of age, to make the adjustments to a new home safely. No adults or puppies shall be transported or sold without adequate immunization against disease in terms of age. H. A puppy or adult showing serious deviation from the standard, rendering it unsuitable for breeding, shall be sold with a signed spay/neuter contract and limited AKC registration. This contract shall be clearly understood by the buyer. All other puppies and adults shall be registered or eligible for registration with the AKC, and the buyer shall be provided with accurate and valid papers. I. No member shall engage in the breeding of a blue merle Cardigan Welsh Corgi to a Cardigan other than a black with or without tan or brindle points, or occasionally to another blue merle. 3. Each member of the Northwest Cardigan Fanciers is expected to conduct him/herself in an honorable and ethical manner in all areas involved in promoting the Cardigan Welsh Corgi. A. No member shall engage in false or misleading advertising or other misrepresentation of his/her Cardigan Welsh Corgi; nor shall he/she malign his/her competitors by false or misleading statements regarding his/her competitor’s Cardigans, breeding practices, or person. B. No member shall exhibit a Cardigan Welsh Corgi that is a merle other than blue, nor breed to or from such a merle, nor sell it as a show or breeding stock. C. Each member has and obligation to conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner whether in or out of the show ring. D. Each member should be willing to assist with information and/or advice regarding Cardigan Welsh Corgis when appropriate. E. Each member of the club has an obligation to protect the interests of the breed by conducting him/herself in a manner designed to reflect credit on him/herself, the breed and upon the Northwest Cardigan Fanciers.
	__________________________________ Northwest Cardigan Fanciers BY- LAWS Article 1 Membership Section 1 Eligibility: There shall be four types of memberships open to all persons who are in good standing with the American Kennel Club and who subscribe to the purpose of this club. Regular members: Persons 18 years and older who reside in the states of Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington shall be so termed. Junior members: Persons 5 years of age to 18 years of age who reside in the states of Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington shall be so termed. Associate members: Persons who only subscribe to the newsletter shall be so termed, Honorary members: Honorary membership may be conferred upon distinguished friends of the Cardigan Welsh Corgi. Junior, Associate, and Honorary members will hold no office and will have no voting privileges. Section 2 Dues: Membership dues shall be $15.00 for a single regular membership, $20.00 for multiple regular membership within a household, and $10.00 for an associate membership, which only entitles its member to a subscription to the newsletter. Junior membership dues are $7.50. There will be no dues for honorary membership. Dues are payable on or before the first day of Aprilof each year. No member whose dues are not paid within thirty (30) days of the above date will be allowed to vote. During the month of December, the Membership Chair shall notify through the newsletter a statement of dues for the following year. Section 3 Election to Membership: Each applicant for membership shall apply on a form as approved by the Board of Directors and which provides that the applicant agrees to abide by the Constitution, Code of Ethics, and By-Laws of the Club and the rules of the American Kennel Club. The application shall state the name and address of the applicant, other pertinent information and shall carry the endorsement of two members in good standing. Accompanying the application, the prospective member shall submit dues payment for the current year. The names of the applicants shall be published in the NWCF Newsletter. Written comments shall be invited from the membership concerning their suitability. If no adverse comments are received within 60 days of publication, the applicant will be notified of their acceptance. Any adverse reports received concerning an applicant shall be reviewed by the Board of Directors, and an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the Board shall be necessary to elect the applicant to membership. An applicant who has received a negative vote by the Board may be presented by one of the applicant's sponsors at the next meeting of the Club, and a favorable vote of 3/4 of the regular members present may elect such applicant. Section 4 Termination of Membership: Membership may be terminated by: A. By resignation. Any member in good standing may resign from the Club upon written notice to the Secretary, but no member may resign when in debt to the Club. Dues obligations are considered a debt to the Club, and they become incurred on the first day of the fiscal year. B. By lapsing. A member will be considered as lapsed and automatically terminated if such members’ dues remain unpaid 30 days after the first day of the fiscal year; however, the Board of Directors may grant an additional 30 days of grace to such a delinquent member in meritorious cases. In no case may a person be entitled to vote at any Club meeting whose dues are unpaid as of the date of that meeting. C. By expulsion. A membership may be terminated by expulsion as provided in Article VI of these By-Laws. Article 2 Meetings and Voting Section 1 Club Meetings: There will be at least two (2) Club meetings per year. One meeting will be held in conjunction with the Supported Show (either during the Spring or Fall), and the time and location for all meetings will be published a minimum of thirty (30) days prior to such meeting. The quorum for such meetings shall be 25% of members in good standing. Section 2 Special Club Meetings: Special club meetings may be called by a majority vote of the members of the Board of Directors or by the Secretary upon a receipt of a petition signed by five members of the club who are in good standing. Such special meetings shall be held at such hour, date and place as may be designated by the person or persons authorized herein to call meetings. Written notice of such meetings shall be mailed by the Secretary at least seven (7) days and not more than fifteen (15) days prior to the date of the meeting and no other club business may be transacted there at. The quorum for such meetings shall be 25% of members in good standing. Section 3 Board Meetings: There will be at least two meetings per year of the Board of Directors. Meetings of the Board of Directors will be held in conjunction with the regular club meetings. The quorum for such a meeting shall be a majority of the Board of Directors. Section 4 Special Board Meetings: Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President or any member of the Board. Such meetings may be conducted by telephone/internet provided that the secretary provides written notice of such meetings ten (10) days prior to the meetings. A quorum for such a meeting shall be a majority of the Board of Directors. Section 5 Voting: Each member in good standing whose dues are paid for the current year will be entitled to one vote at any meeting of the club. Voting by written ballot, when a club member cannot be present at a meeting, is permitted. The Secretary will send each club member in good standing a ballot that includes a deadline for returning the ballot. All ballots will be returned to the Secretary, and a report will be filed. Article 3 Directors and Officers Section 1 Board of Directors: The Board shall be comprised of President, Vice President, Past President, Secretary, Treasurer and three other Club members in good standing all of whom shall be elected to office to a two (2) year term at the Club’s Annual Meeting as provided in Article 4 and shall serve until their successors are elected. Two (2) positions on the Board shall be elected for a two (2) year term at the Club’s Annual Meeting as provided in Article 4 and shall serve until their successors are elected. One (1) position on the Board shall be elected for a two (2) year term the following year. General management of the Club’s affairs shall be entrusted to the Board of Directors. Section 2 Officers: The Club’s officers, consisting of the President, Vice President, Past President, Secretary and Treasurer shall serve in their respective capacities both with the regard to the Club and its meetings and the Board of Directors and its meetings. A. President: Shall preside at all meetings of the Club and of the Board and shall have the duties and powers normally pertinent to the office of President in addition to those particularly specified in these By-Laws. B. Vice President: Will have the powers and exercise the duties of the President in case the President is absent, incapacitated, or in case of the President’s death. C. Secretary: Shall keep a record of all meetings of the Club and all matters of which a record shall be ordered by the Club. The Secretary shall notify members of meetings, notify Officers and Directors of their election to office and will receive all ballots cast in the election of Officers and other balloting. D. Treasurer: Shall collect and receive all moneys due to or belonging to the Club and receipt thereof. The Treasurer shall deposit same in the bank of his/her choice, satisfactory to the Board, nearest his/her place of residence or business, in the name of the Club. Checks shall carry the name of the Treasurer, or other officers appointed by the Board in cases where the Treasurer is unable for any reason to sign checks. The Treasurer may be bonded. Section 3 Vacancies: Any vacancies occurring on the Board or among the Officers during the year shall be filled until the next annual election by a majority vote of all the then members of the Board at it’s first regular meeting following the creation of such vacancy, or at a Special Board Meeting called for that purpose; except that a vacancy in the office of President shall be filled automatically by the Vice President, and the resulting vacancy in the office of Vice President shall be filled by the Board. Article 4 Club Year, Annual Meetings, Elections Section 1 Club Year: The Club’s fiscal year will begin on the first of Apriland end on the thirty-first of March. The Club’s official year shall begin immediately at the conclusion of the election at the Annual Meeting and shall continue through the next election. Section 2 Annual Meeting: The Annual Meeting shall be held in the month of September or October and every second year the election of Officers and Directors for the ensuing two year term shall be elected by secret, written ballot from those nominated in accordance with Section 4 of this Article. They shall take office immediately upon the conclusion of the election and each retiring Officer shall turn over to his/her successor in office all properties and record relating to that office within thirty (30) days after the election. Section 3 Elections: The nominated candidate receiving the greatest number of votes for each office shall be declared elected. The two (2) nominated candidates for the positions on the Board who receive the greatest number of votes for such positions shall be declared elected. Section 4 Nominations: The Board of Directors, at a meeting in the year that the election of Officers and Directors will take place, shall select a Nominating Committee and also name a Chairperson for that committee. It shall be the duty of the Chairperson of the Nominating Committee to call a meeting of the committee. The meeting may be conducted over the telephone/internet. The Chairperson must then immediately report the results to the Secretary in writing. Upon receipt of the Committee’s report, the Secretary shall notify the membership in writing of the candidates so nominated. A The Committee shall nominate one (1) candidate for each office and two (2) candidates for the positions on the Board, and, after securing the consent of each person so nominated, shall immediately report their nominations to the Secretary in writing. B Additional nominations may be made at the meeting by any member in attendance provided that the person so nominated does not decline when his/her name is proposed, and provided further that, if the proposed candidate is not in attendance at this meeting, his/her proposer shall present to the Secretary a written statement from the proposed candidate signifying his/her willingness to be a candidate. No person may be a candidate for more than one position, and the additional nominations which are provided for herein may be made only from those members who have not accepted a nomination of the Nominating Committee. C If the Secretary on or before July 31st receives no valid additional nominations, the Nominating Committee's slate shall be declared elected and no further balloting is required. New officers will be announced at the Annual Meeting in the month of September or October. D If one or more valid additional nominations are received by the Secretary on or before July 31st, the Secretary shall mail by September 1st of the election year to each regular member in good standing a ballot listing all the nominees for each position, together with a blank envelope and a return envelope addressed to the Secretary and bearing the name of the member to whom it was sent. So that ballots may remain secret, each voter, after marking his ballot, shall seal it in the blank envelope which in turn shall be placed in the second envelope addressed to the Secretary. The tellers shall check the returns against the list of eligible voting members prior to opening the outer envelopes and removing the blank envelopes, and shall certify the eligibility of the voters as well as the results of the voting. E Nominations cannot be made at the Annual Meeting or in any manner other than as provided for in this section Article 5 Committees Section 1 Standing Committees: The Board may each year appoint standing committees to advance the work of the Club in such matters as Specialty Shows, Obedience Trials, Trophies, Annual Prizes, Membership, Auditing and other fields that may be well served by committees. Such committees will always be subject to the final authority of the Board. Special Committees may also be appointed by the Board to aid it on particular projects. Section 2 Appointments: Any Committee appointments may be terminated by a majority of the full membership of the Board upon written notice to the appointee: and the Board may appoint successors to those persons whose services have been terminated. Article 6 Discipline Section 1 American Kennel Club Suspension: Any member who is suspended from the privileges of the American Kennel Club automatically shall be suspended for the privileges of this Club for a like period. Section 2 Charges: Any member may prefer charges against a member for alleged misconduct prejudicial to the best interests of the Club or the breed. Written charges with specifications must be filed in duplicated with the Secretary together with a deposit of $10.00 which shall be forfeited if such charges are not sustained by the Board following a hearing. The Secretary shall promptly send a copy of the charges to each member of the Board or present them at a Board meeting and the Board shall first consider whether the actions alleged in the charges if proven, might constitute conduct prejudicial to the Club or the breed. If the Board considers that the charges do not allege conduct which would be prejudicial to the Club or the breed, it may refuse to entertain jurisdiction. If the Board entertains jurisdiction of the charges, it shall fix a date of a hearing by the Board not less than three (3) weeks and not more the six (6) weeks thereafter. The Secretary shall promptly send one (1) copy of the charges to the accused member by certified mail together with a notice of the hearing and an assurance that the defendant may personally appear in his/her own defense and bring witnesses if he/she wishes. Section 3 Board Hearings: The Board shall have complete authority to decide whether counsel may attend the hearing, but both complainant and defendant shall be treated uniformly in that regard. Should the charges be sustained, after hearing all the evidence and testimony presented by complainant and defendant, the Board may, by a majority vote of those present, suspend the defendant from all privileges of the Club for not more than six (6) months from the date of the hearing. And, if it deems that punishment insufficient, it may also recommend to the membership that the penalty be expulsion. In such case, the suspension shall not restrict the defendant’s right to appear before his/her fellow members at the ensuing Club meeting which considers the Board’s recommendation. Immediately after the Board has reach a decision, its findings shall be put in written form and filed with the Secretary. The Secretary, in turn, shall notify each of the parties of the Board’s decision and penalty, if any. Section 4 Expulsion: Expulsion of a member from the Club may be accomplished only at a meeting of the Club following a Board hearing and upon the Board’s recommendation as provided in Section 3 of this Article. Such proceedings may occur at a Regular or Special Meeting of the Club to be held within sixty (60) days, but not earlier the thirty (30) days after the date of the Board’s recommendation of expulsion. The defendant shall have the privilege of appearing on his/her own behalf, though no evidence shall be taken at this meeting. The President shall read the charges and the Board’s findings and recommendations, and shall invite the defendant, if present, to speak in his/her own behalf if he/she wishes. The meeting shall then vote by secret written ballot on the proposed expulsion. A two-thirds vote of those present and voting at the meeting shall be necessary for expulsion. If expulsion is not voted, the Board’s suspension shall stand. Article 7 Amendments Section 1 Amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws may be proposed by the Board of Directors or by written petition addressed to the Secretary signed by 20% of the membership in good standing. Amendments proposed by the petition shall be promptly considered by the Board of Directors and must be submitted to the members with recommendations of the Board by the Secretary for a vote within three (3) months of the date when the petition was received by the Secretary. Section 2 The Constitution and By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting at any Regular or Special Meeting called for that purpose, provided the proposed amendments have been included in the notice of the meeting and mailed to each member at least two (2) weeks prior to the date of the meeting. Article 8 Dissolution Section 1 Dissolution: The Club may be dissolved at any time by the written consent of not less than two-thirds of the members. In the event of the dissolution of the Club, whether voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law, none of the property of the Club not any proceeds thereof nor any assets of the Club shall be distributed to any members of the Club, but, after payment of the debts of the Club, its property and assets shall be given to the Cardigan Welsh Corgi Club of America. Article 9 Order of Business Section 1 At meetings of the Club, the order of business, so far as the character and nature of the meeting may permit, shall be as follows: Roll Call Minutes of the last meeting Report of the President Report of the Secretary Report of the Treasurer Reports of Committees Election of Officers and Board (at annual meeting) New member reports Unfinished Business New Business Adjournment Section 2 At meetings of the Board, the order of business, unless otherwise directed by a majority vote of those present, shall be as follows: Reading of minutes of the last meeting Report of the Secretary Report of the Treasurer Reports of Committees Unfinished Business New Business Adjournment The rules contained in the latest edition of: ”Robert’s Rules of Order” shall govern the Club in all cases which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Articles of Incorporation, the Constitution, or the By-Laws.