Rules
1. The name of the Club shall be the Southern Miniature Bull Terrier Club.
2. OBJECTS – The object of the Club shall be to promote the welfare breeding and exhibition of the
Miniature Bull Terriers and to encourage owners, breeders and judges to adhere to the standard of the
breed as set out by the Kennel Club. It shall also endeavor to encourage responsible ownership and
friendly relationships and co-operation between other clubs.
3. The Club shall not join any Federation of Societies or Clubs.
4. OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE – The Club shall consist of a President, a Committee of up to 12
which shall include the Chairman, the Hon Secretary and Hon Treasurer and an unlimited number of
members.
5. COMMITTEE – a) The President shall serve for a period of three years only. The nomination shall
be the prerogative of the Committee and approved by a majority at the AGM.
b) The Chairman, Hon Secretary and Hon Treasurer shall serve for a term of three years and be
eligible for re-election.
c) Elected members of the Committee shall be eligible for re-election every four years. Two members
shall retire annually by rotation. d) Members of the Committee shall have full voting rights
e) Meetings of the Committee shall be held as often as deemed necessary, but at least once each
quarter.
f) A quorum for Committee meetings shall be three, including two officers. g) The Committee shall
have the power to co-opt members in the event of positions becoming vacant. Any co-opted member
must stand for election at the next AGM. h) The Committee shall have the power to co-opt to the
Committee any person for a specific reason, but that person must then retire when the reason for his/her
co-option ends. i) No individual who has been a member of the Club for less than two years may be
elected to the Committee. j) No person whilst an un-discharged bankrupt may serve on the Committee
of, or hold any other office or appointment, within a Kennel Club Registered Society.
6. ELECTION OF MEMBERS – Candidates for membership shall be proposed by one existing fully
paid up member of two years’ standing. Final acceptance is vested in the Committee. One negative
vote in Committee shall exclude.
7. ASSOCIATE MEMBERS – There shall be a tier of membership – ie Associate Membership, for
those under the age of 18 years of age, who will pay a proportion of the membership fee and who will
not be eligible to vote on any occasion.
8. MEMBERSHIP LIST – The Club will maintain a list of members and their addresses and make it
available for inspection , if so requested, by the members of the Club, or by the Kennel Club.
9. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – VOTING RIGHTS – Each member shall be entitled to one
vote immediately upon acceptance of membership. Election to the Committee shall be by ballot at the
AGM. Voting at the AGM shall be by secret ballot or a show of hands as determined by the Chairman
of the meeting. Joint members are entitled to one vote each.
10. SHOW MANAGER – Election of a Show Manager shall be decided at the AGM by the members
present and the Show Manager shall retire at the AGM annually.
11 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 decide the disposal of the assets and the
result of the meeting notified to the Kennel Club. All Club property must be insured against theft, fire,
damage and loss. If a registered Club is wound up or ceases to be a registered society under Kennel
Club regulations, a final statement of the accounts with a record of the disposal of the property of the
Club 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 by the Kennel Club for the proper winding up of the
Club.
12. CLUB ACCOUNTS – A banking/building society account will be held in the name of the Club
and operated by any two of the three Officers of the Club. All revenues of the club shall be paid into
this/these account/s and shall be administered by the Hon Treasurer. A suitably qualified auditor must
be appointed at each AGM to audit the accounts for the year to present at the AGM. At the AGM all
financial records should be available to inspection by the members of the Club, providing they give the
Hon Treasurer fourteen days notice.
13. SUBSCRIPTION – The annual subscription shall be that agreed by members of the Club at a
General Meeting and notified to the Kennel Club. This shall be payable on 1st January each year. Any
member not paying by 1st March shall forfeit membership.
14. EXPULSION OF MEMBERS – Any member who is suspended by the Kennel Club shall ipso
facto cease to be a member of the club. If, in the opinion of the Committee of the club, the conduct of
any member shall be injurious or likely to be injurious to the interests of the club, or should be in
breach of the club’s code of conduct, the Committee may convene a meeting which includes on the
Agenda the consideration of the conduct of the member and at that meeting determine that a Special
General Meeting should be called for the purpose of passing a resolution to expel him or her. Notice of
the Special General Meeting must be sent to the accused member, giving particulars of the complaint
and advising the date, place and hour of the meeting in order that the member may attend and give an
explanation of his/her conduct. If the resolution to expel is passed by a two thirds majority of those
present and voting, the name of the member shall be erased from the list of member and he/she shall
cease to be a member of the club. The expelled member shall have the right, within two calendar
months of the meeting, top appeal to the Kennel Club for re-instatement of the membership and may be
so, subject to any conditions the Kennel Club may impose.
15. FINANCIAL YEAR AND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – The financial year shall be from
1st January to 31st December. The Annual General Meeting shall be held no later than 1st May each
year at a time and place arranged by the Committee.
1. The purpose of the AGM shall be to present the report of the Committee and the duly audited
balance sheet, and to elect officers and committee to vacancies arising and to conduct all other business
included in the Agenda. No business shall be transacted at the AGM unless notice thereof appears on
the Agenda. 2. Notice of the AGM shall be circulated to all members in writing at least 6 weeks prior
to the date of the AGM. 3. Items for inclusion on the Agenda must be received by the Hon Secretary
28 days prior to the meeting. 4. The agenda will be circulated to all members fourteen days prior to
the meeting. 5. A quorum shall be five members, including two Officers of the Club.
16. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING – A special general meeting shall be summoned by the Hon
Secretary if twenty of the paid up members send in a signed request stating the subject to be discussed.
The Committee of the Club is empowered to call a Special General Meeting. No other than that
detailed on the Agenda can be discussed at a Special General Meeting. The Hon Secretary shall call a
Special General Meeting no later than 30 days from the receipt of the request and shall give paid up
members a minimum of fourteen days notice of the meeting. A quorum shall be five, including two
Officers of the Club.
17. RULES OF THE CLUB – The rules of the Club may not be altered except at a General Meeting,
the notice 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 of and approved the
alteration.
18. ANNUAL RETURNS TO THE KENNEL CLUB – The officers will ensure that during the month
of January each year, the Maintenance of Title fee will be forwarded to the Kennel Club by the Hon
Secretary for continued registration of the Club. Also that, by 31st July each year, other returns as
stipulated in Kennel Club rules, will be forwarded to the Kennel Club.
19. KENNEL CLUB FINAL COURT OF APPEAL – The Kennel Club shall be the final court of
appeal in all matters of dispute.
20. JUDGES LIST – The club must produce a list of judges each year, in accordance with Kennel
Club regulations, as part of the Club’s annual returns. The list must be updated annually and indicate
that each list will expire on 31st July each year. The list will be prepared by the Committee.
21. DECLARATION OF HONOUR AND CODE OF CONDUCT. Members of the Southern
Miniature Bull Terrier Club are required to DNA test their breeding stock for primary lens luxation and
abide by the Club’s Code of Ethics. All members are expected to conduct themselves in a manner
befitting a member of the Southern Miniature Bull Terrier Club. This includes at any general meeting,
committee meeting, event, show, website or forum. Aggressive or abusive behaviour will not be
tolerated and the membership in question will be reviewed by the committee under terms of Rule 13.
22. STANDING ORDERS – 1. The Chairman has, in the event of equal voting, a casting vote.
2. Counter-motions, or amendments should, if possible, be made in writing and handed to the Chairman
and must be proposed and seconded before discussion. 3. A counter-motion or amendments must be
discussed and voted on before taking a vote upon the original motion. 4. The mover of a motion,
counter-motion or amendment may speak twice; first when proposing his resolution and secondly as
the last speaker on the subject. Other members may speak once only on each resolution. 5. Speeches to
be limited to 5 minutes duration, except by special permission of the Chair and except official
statements submitting the action of the Executive for approval. 6. All speeches must be addressed to
the Chair. 7. An amendment may consist of (a) omission of words (b) addition of words ( c) omission
and addition of words (d) insertion of words (e) a proposal to defer consideration. 8. Any other
alteration of the original motion becomes a counter-motion. 9. A resolution cannot be rescinded at the
same meeting at which it is adopted. 10. The Chairman may divide a motion into parts and take a vote
upon either part. 11. Discussion upon the Minutes of a previous meeting must be confined to
questions of fact ie. whether certain statements or motions were actually made or carried etc. If it is
desired to re-open a discussion, this must be done as a new motion.
Ethics
All members of The Southern Miniature Bull Terrier Club undertake to abide by it’s general Code of Ethics.
Club members;
1. Will properly house, feed, water and exercise all dogs under their care and arrange for appropriate
veterinary attention if and when required.
2. Will agree without reservation that any veterinary surgeon performing an operation on any of their
dogs which alters the natural conformation of the animal or who carries out a caesarean section on a
bitch may report such operation to the Kennel Club
3. Will agree that no healthy puppy will be culled. Puppies which may not conform the Breed
Standard should be placed in suitable homes.
4. Will abide by all aspects of the Animal Welfare Act.
5. Will not create demand for, nor supply puppies that have been docked illegally.
6. Will agree not to breed from a dog or bitch which could be in any way harmful to the dog or to the
breed.
7. Will now allow any of their dogs to roam at large or to cause a nuisance to neighbours of those
carrying out official duties.
8. Will ensure that their dogs wear properly tagged collars and will be kept leashed under effective
control when away from home.
9. Will clean up after their dogs in public places of anywhere their dogs are being exhibited.
10. Will only sell dogs where there is a reasonably expectation of a happy and healthy life and will
help with the re-homing of a dog if the initial circumstances change
11. Will supply written details of all dietary requirements and give guidance concerning responsible
ownership when placing dogs in a new home.
12. Will ensure that all relevant Kennel Club documents are provided to the new owner when selling
or transferring a dog, and will agree, in writing, to forward an relevant documents at the earliest
opportunity, if not immediately available.
13. Will not sell any dog to commercial dog wholesalers, retail pet dealers or to countries where there
are no animal welfare laws comparable to those in the UK, or directly or indirectly allow dogs to be
given as a prize or donation in a competition of any kind. Will not sell by sale or auction Kennel Club
registration certificates as stand alone items (not accompanying a dog).
14. Will not knowingly misrepresent the characteristics of the breed nor falsely advertise dogs nor
mislead any person regarding the health or quality of the dog.
15. Members will, when breeding dogs, adopt as a minimum standard the principles, requirements and
recommendations as embodied in the Kennel Club’s Assured Breeder Scheme. It is strongly
recommended that members who breed should apply to joint the Scheme. * ratified at AGM 31.3.12 *
16. Will agree that a bitch has no more than 3 litters in her lifetime and is bred from no earlier than 18
months of age. * ratified at AGM 31.3.12*
Breach of these provisions may result in the expulsion from club membership, and/or disciplinary
action by the Kennel Club and/or reporting to the relevant authorities for legal action , as appropriate.