Constitution

INTERPRETATION

Throughout this Constitution and in any Regulations framed under it, words importing the singular shall include the plural, words importing the masculine gender shall include the feminine and neuter genders and vice versa unless such interpretation is inconsistent with the context thereof.

NAME

The name of the Club shall be “ALASKAN MALAMUTE BREED & WORKING CLUB”, with the abbreviation of AMBWC, hereafter referred to as ‘the Club’.

CONDUCT

The Club shall observe the conduct of its members in adherence to the Constitution, Rules and Regulations and the Code of Ethics.

HEADQUARTERS AND ADDRESS OF CLUB

The headquarters of the Club shall be as determined from time to time by the Committee, but shall be within the Metro City of Tshwane with the option to establish Club Chapters throughout Southern Africa. Other events conforming to the characteristics of the breed, will take place within the borders of the South Africa with the exception of specific international events, which may take place in neighboring states.

OBJECTIVES

The objects of the Club shall be:

to promote and encourage the breeding of purebred dogs and in particular the Alaskan Malamute;

to promote and raise the standard and exhibition of registered purebred dogs, particular the Alaskan Malamute;

to organise and hold social activities as the need for it exists;

to promote the sledding, pulka and weight pull sports conforming to the character of the breed and an interest there in;

to observe, adhere to and negotiate rules and regulations for the improvement in the standard of the breed, sled sport, ‘polka’ and weight pull sport and status awarded to the sled dogs involvement in said sport activities;

to promote a better understanding of dogs and a wider knowledge of dogs and dog affairs and to promote goodwill both among people interested in dogs and towards dogs;

to foster, promote and protect the interest of exhibitors of dogs at exhibitions and particularly the exhibitors of Alaskan Malamutes;

to collect, verify and publish information relating to dogs and the breeding and exhibition of dogs;

to educate and encourage members, breeders and judges to abide by the requirements and standards for the conduct of Exhibitions and Shows;

to promote good fellowship and sportsmanship amongst members and those participating in or attending Exhibitions and Social Activities;

to inform members of and make known the Laws and Regulations of the Country relating to the ownership and care of dogs, and the responsibility of owners for the conduct and actions of their dogs;

to foster relations with other bodies having similar aims;

to promote and assist worthy causes;

to invest the funds of the Club not immediately required, in such a manner as the members to the Committee in lieu thereof shall determine;

to purchase, hire, lease, etc. and do such things as are conductive or incidental to promoting and achieving the purposes of the Club;

to carry on such other activities or promote or encourage interest in the breeding, upkeep and training of and the general well-being and improvement of Alaskan Malamutes and to do all such other things as may be necessary or conductive to carrying out the objectives of the Club;

to uphold the South African Constitution for its Citizens;

to promote social activities in retaining the fun in having the Alaskan Malamute breed.

POWERS

TRADING AND INCOME

The Club shall operated as a non-profit organisation and shall not engage in any activity or transaction, which has as its object the financial gain of any person or persons or any institution other than the Club. The income and property of the Club shall be used solely for the pursuit of the Club’s objects.

TRUSTEE

The Chairman of the Club for the time being shall be the Trustee of the Club in who shall vest all movable and immovable property of the Club and who shall be entitled to sue and accept service in the name of the Club. In handling the property of the Club and in dealing with legal issues the Trustee shall always act on behalf of the Club and in accordance with such directions given or decisions made from time to time by the Committee or passed by members in a general meeting of the Club.

INDEMNITY

All office bearers and members of the Club shall be indemnified by the Club in respect of any legal liability incurred while acting on behalf of the Club, provided they acted in accordance with directions given or decisions made from time to time by the Committee or passed by members in a general meeting of the Club

MEMBERSHIP

Membership shall be open to any person who has an interest in the Alaskan Malamute Breed. There shall be four (4) classes of membership:

Full Membership is open to persons who are eighteen years and older who are in good standing and are interested in the breed and subscribe to the purposes of this Club. Each member shall have one vote for the election of each officer, and one vote on each issue upon which the regular membership is entitled to vote.

Junior Membership is open to persons under eighteen years of age who are in good standing and are interested in the breed and subscribe to the purposes of this Club. Junior membership offers all Club benefits and participation, except that Junior Members may not vote or hold office.

Associated Membership is open to persons who are interested in the breed and who subscribe to the purposes of this Club. Associated membership offers all Club benefits and participation, except that Associated Members does not have voting rights in Club matters and shall be excluded from holding office on the Committee.

Honorary Life Members who shall be persons nominated by the unanimous vote of the Committee and subsequently elected at the next Annual General Meting of the Club. Persons nominated for honorary life membership shall be those considered worthy of special recognition for services to the Club, to dog affairs or for an outstanding achievement in connection with dogs. An honorary life member shall enjoy the full privileges of membership of the Club, free of entrance fee and subscription and shall be entitled to vote as a full member.

The liability of each member shall be limited to the amount of the annual subscription as determined by the Committee from time to time.

APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP

Application for membership shall be made in writing on the forms prescribed from time to time and shall be considered by the Committee at its first meeting after the receipt of the application and until acceptance by the Committee has been conveyed to the applicant, he/she shall have no voting rights.

The Committee shall have complete and absolute discretion to accept, refuse or refer any application without having to disclose any reason for its discretion.

LAPSING OF MEMBERSHIP

Membership will lapse:

Upon failure to pay initial subscription within thirty (30) days of the date on which they become due;

Upon failure to pay a renewal subscription within thirty (30) days of the date on which they become due;

Upon the receipt by the Secretary of written notice or resignation. All fees, subscriptions and other monies due prior to the date of receipt of the notice of resignation shall remain due and payable;

Upon the death of a member;

Upon the event of any member, including an honorary patron, being convicted of any offence and sentenced to imprisonment without the option of a fine relating to cruelty towards or neglect of any animal;

REPRIMAND, EXPULSION OR SUSPENSION OF A MEMBER

(a) Whenever by majority vote of the whole number of its members, the Committee is of the opinion that the behaviour or conduct of a member has been harmful, prejudicial or injurious to the objects, interests, good order or character of the Club, the Committee shall have the power to:

(i) reprimand such member in writing; (ii) suspend such member from all privileges of membership for a period not exceeding six (6) months in cases where in the opinion of the Committee his conduct was not sufficiently serious to justify expulsion. A member who has been suspended shall not be entitled to the refund of any fee or subscriptions paid or due by him; (iii) expel such member who shall thereupon be debarred from all privileges of the Club.

(b) Before deciding to expel or suspend a member, such member shall be afforded full opportunity to explain his conduct to the Committee.

(c) A member who has been suspended or expelled shall have the right to appeal against his suspension or expulsion to the members of the Club in a Special General Meeting. Such appeal must be lodged within thirty (30) days of the receipt of notification of such suspension or expulsion with the Chairman or Secretary who shall take immediate steps to convene the Special General Meeting. At this meeting the case against the member shall be put by one (1) member of the Committee on behalf of the Committee and the member shall be given equal opportunity to defend himself. To reverse the Committee’s decision will require two-thirds majority of members with voting rights present. The vote shall be taken by ballot.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Subscriptions payable for the various membership categories shall be determined by the Committee from time to time and may include special subscriptions from members participating in training.

Subscriptions shall be for one year as from 1^st March of each year.

Renewal subscriptions shall be due and payable on or before the 31^st March each year.

To be legible to vote, all full member subscription fees will have to be paid in full prior to attending an Annual General Meeting.

PATRONS AND HONORARY PRESIDENT/VICE-PRESIDENT

Honorary patron(s) is open to anyone as proposed and elected by the full members at each Annual General Meeting:-

Honorary President,

Honorary Vice-President,

Honorary Veterinarian,

all of whom hold office at the members' pleasure.

Honorary Patrons will not have voting rights in Club matters and be excluded from holding office on the Committee. Honorary Patrons may attend the Committee meetings in an advisory capacity only.

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

The management and control of the Club shall be vested in the Committee Members:

Not less than twenty-one (21) years of age;

Elected at an Annual General Meeting;

Shall hold office as hereinafter provided.

At its first meeting, which shall be held within seven (7) days of the Annual General Meeting at which it was elected, the Committee shall:

a) A Committee member’s seat shall fall vacant if such member :

- dies from the date of his death;

- resigns from the date of such resignation;

- otherwise ceases to be a member of the Club - from the date his membership ceases;

b) The Committee may appoint a member of the Club to fill any vacancy arising in terms of subsection (a) above and such member shall hold office for the remainder of the term of office of the Committee member he has replaced.

POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE

The Committee shall have full power and authority to carry out all or any of the objects of the Club save where such powers are expressly reserved for a General Meeting.

In particular but without prejudice to this general authority, the Committee shall have power and authority;

to make, vary and repeal regulations for the better conduct of the Club;

to appoint such sub-Committees or Trial Committees as may be found necessary for the efficient administration of the Club for any special purpose and to delegate thereunto such of its powers as it may seem desirable. All Sub-Committees shall report back to the Committee;

to supervise the investment of the funds and assets of the Club and the depositing of Club funds in a Financial Institution selected by it;

to ensure that all cheques and other negotiable instruments are signed by not less than two (2) persons, one of whom shall be the Treasurer and the other an appointed member of the Committee who may not be the spouse or close relative or member of the household of the Treasurer;

to control the sale and issue of the Club’s arms, badges and uniforms;

to take such disciplinary action in terms of this Constitution as may be necessary;

to seek the view of members upon any matters by means of a questionnaire, referendum or ballot;

to perform all acts and deeds and do all things as are consistent with this Constitution;

to seek interpretation from the Breed Registry Body any provision of this Constitution and any rules and regulations made hereunder.

No Committee member may serve on any Committee of another Alaskan Malamute Breed Club, thus preventing split loyalties between same breed Clubs.

DUTIES OF OFFICERS

A. CHAIRMAN AND VICE-CHAIRMAN

It shall be the duty of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman as senior Committee members, to further the interests and prestige of the Club at all times and to ensure that the provisions of this Constitution and any regulations framed there under are complied with and that all decisions of the Club in a General Meeting and of the Committee are carried into effect.

The Chairman shall preside at all meetings of the Club and of the Committee, and in his absence the Vice-Chairman, if present, shall preside. If the Chairman and Vice-Chairman are both absent, the members present shall appoint from among their numbers a member to preside at such a meetings and the person so appointed shall have and exercise the powers and functions which could have been exercised by the Chairman if present.

The Chairman or in his absence the Deputy Chairman shall, at the Annual General Meeting, report on the activities of the Club during the past year.

The Chairman or in his absence the Vice-Chairman or a nominated member by the Committee, shall represent the Club at regional and national meetings with full voting rights. The Committee may nominate an additional delegate to attend with observer status only.

B. PUBLIC RELATION OFFICER

It shall be the duty of the PRO as Senior Committee members;

to work with others to maintain the Club's public relations;

to work closely with the Chairperson, the Secretary and Editor of the Newsletter to promote successful and well-organised events;

to promote the Club at Show events;

to maintain contact from time to time with bodies or orginisation from whom the breed can benefit;

to serve as chairman of the Public Relations Sub-Committee.

to attend all general meetings of the Club and all meetings of the Committee and to maintain a correct record of the proceedings and decisions taken thereat. In the event of the Secretary being unable to be present at any meeting, he shall ensure that the minute books, correspondence etc., required at the meeting are handed to the Chairman or some member of the Committee prior to the meeting. In such event the meeting shall nominate one (1) of its members to act as Secretary at the meeting;

subject to the control of the Committee, to receive and conduct the correspondence of the Club;

to ensure that all notices required by this Constitution are properly given;

to maintain up-to-date, a Register of Members and their addresses, on relinquishment of his Office, to hand all books and records to his successor.

D. TREASURER

It shall be the duty of the Treasurer and as a Senior Committee member:

To attend all general meetings of the Club and all meetings of the Committee. In the event of the Treasurer being unable to be present at any meeting, he shall ensure that the financial books and any financial statement or report required at the meeting are handed to the Chairman or a member of the Committee prior to the meeting. In such event it shall be the duty of the Secretary to inform the Treasurer of all decisions relating to financial matters taken at the meeting;

to maintain up-to-date, proper books of account reflecting the Club’s financial transactions and to reflect adequately the financial position of the Club;

subject to the control of the Committee, to administer the finances of the Club;

to collect and bank expeditiously all monies owing to the Club and to disburse monies due by the Club without undue delay;

to keep the Committee informed at all times on the general financial position of the Club;

to prepare a report on the financial transactions of the past financial year for presentation at the Annual General Meeting;

on relinquishment of his Office, to hand all books and records to his successor.

D. AUDITOR

The Annual general Meeting shall appoint an auditor who may not necessarily be a member, but shall hold adequate experience to discharge his duties. he shall audit the books of account, verify the assets of the Club, audit the annual accounts and balance sheet and report thereon prior to the Annual General Meeting.

No member of the Committee nor any person who is a member of a committee members household, shall be eligible for appointment as auditor.

E. OTHER OFFICERS

The duty of any other officers appointed by the Club or the Committee shall be laid down by the appointing body.

FINANCE AND ACCOUNTS

The financial year of the Club shall be the twelve (12) calendar months ended 28^th February in each and every year, unless a leap year when it will end on 29^th February.

No person other than a person acting within the limits of any authority conferred upon him by this Constitution or by the Committee shall have the authority to give receipt for money or otherwise to enter into contract or arrangement having the effect of imposing any liability on the Club or in any other way pledge the credit of the Club.

The books of account shall be kept by the Treasurer in terms of Section 18C of this Constitution shall be open for inspection by any member of the committee.

MEETINGS

The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than three (3) months after the close of the Club’s financial year on a date and at a time and place to be determined by the Committee.

It shall be competent for any member to request that an item other than a proposal to amend, alter or add to the Constitution, be placed on the Agenda provided that such request is in the hands of the Secretary not later than thirty (30) days prior to the date of the meeting.

Notice stating the date, time and place of the Annual General Meeting and including any proposal to amend the Constitution shall be posted to all members not less than one calendar month before the date of such meeting.

The Agenda for such meeting, which shall include the following items, shall be posted to all members not less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting :

· Notice convening the meeting.

· Minutes of previous Annual General Meeting and of any Special General Meeting held since then.

· Matters arising from the foregoing Minutes.

· Chairman’s Report for the year.

· Treasurer’s Report and Audited Balance Sheet and Income and Expenditure Account for the Year.

· Motions for the amendment of the Constitution as advised in the notice convening the meeting.

· Matters submitted by the Committee.

· Matters submitted by Members.

· Election of Officers and Committee including the appointment of an Auditor

· Appeal by members whose membership has been suspended.

No matter which does not appear on the Agenda may be discussed as part of the business of the meeting.

SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS

Special General Meetings shall be called :

by direction of the Committee
appeals by members whose membership has been suspended
when required to consider any matter in terms of this Constitution
on a requisition (stating clearly in detail the purpose of the meeting) signed by not less than the number of the full committee plus 50%.

Notice stating the date, time and place of such a meeting and setting out the business shall be transacted thereat shall be posted to each member not less than ten (10) days prior to the date of such meeting.

A Special General Meeting required or requisitioned in terms of subsection (i), (b), (c) or (d) above, shall be convened within eight (8) weeks of the receipt by the Secretary of such requisition or of the information making such Special Meeting necessary.

No business except that stated in the notice convening the meeting may be transacted at any Special General Meeting.

No Special General meeting may be called for correcting an AGM which was invalid. In such cases a SGM may be called to agree that a further AGM must be called.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS

The Committee shall meet for the despatch of business as often as is necessary but not less than once every two (2) months, provided that the Secretary shall convene a meeting of the Committee immediately on receipt of a written request signed by at least five (5) members of the Committee and setting out in full the purpose of the meeting.

Not less than ten (10) days notice of all meetings of the Committee shall be given.

NON-RECEIPT OF NOTICES

The non-receipt by a member of a notice convening any meeting of the Club or Committee shall not vitiate the proceedings of such meeting.

QUORUMS AT MEETINGS

Except where elsewhere provided, the quorum at any:

A quorum for an ordinary Committee meeting must be not less than five (5) or 50 per cent of the maximum number of Committee members (full Committee) plus one, which ever is the greater.

A quorum at an AGM or SGM must be the full Committee plus 50% of that number.

When a Quorum is not present:

It is agreed that, in order to keep a Club running, after a delay of ten minutes of the appointed time, the meeting to be abandoned and where it has been held to hear an appeal by a member against expulsion, then the member is automatically reinstated.

VOTING

At General Meetings of the Club each member vested with a vote in terms of Section 10 shall be entitled to one (1) vote only. Matters before such meetings shall be decided by a simple majority of the votes of those present, except where a specific majority is required in terms of this Constitution. Voting shall be by a show of hands unless three (3) or more voting members demand that such voting be conducted by ballot. If a ballot is so demanded it shall be by secret vote. The result of the ballot shall be deemed to be a decision of the meeting at which the ballot was requested.

At Committee meetings each Committee member shall have one (1) vote. Matters before the Committee shall be decided upon by a simple majority of the votes of those present and voting except where a specific majority is required in terms of this Constitution

At all meetings of the Club or the Club Committee, the Chairman of the meeting shall, in the event of an equal number of votes cast for and against a motion, have a casting vote in addition to his deliberative vote.

AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION

No alteration, amendment or addition to this Constitution shall :

be made except at an Annual or Special General Meeting properly convened and then only if not less than two-thirds of the members with voting rights who are present, vote in favour thereof;

become effective until it has been approved by the Federal Council of the Kennel Union of Southern Africa.