CONSTITUTION AND RULES

 

 updated 2017.

NAME, PURPOSE and GOALS

1. “The Irish Wolfhound Society of Ireland” is a specialist breed club with the aim of keeping, promoting and improving health and responsible ownership of the Irish Wolfhound breed in Ireland, operating under the guidance and co-operation with the Irish kennel Club, affiliated to same and in communication with the European Federation. The Society determines that breeders of Irish Wolfhounds are responsible for the dogs they breed and should be prepared to take them back or re-home them if the needs should arise. The welfare of the Irish Wolfhound breed must remain the core guiding principle of the Society.

OFFICERS

The Irish Wolfhound Society of Ireland can be contacted through the Officers whose contact details will be made available on the official website of the Society. The Irish Wolfhound Society of Ireland has 5 Officers and 5 Committee members, and requires 5 Officers and Committee Members to form a quorum. Officer definitions, duties and responsibilities are detailed in the rules.

MEMBERSHIP

2. Application for membership shall be made to the Membership Secretary in writing on the society’s application form, which shall include a signed agreement to abide by the rules of the Irish Kennel Club and shall be accompanied by the appropriate subscription. The committee will consider such applications at least 30 days before the date of the Annual General Meeting. The Committee has the power to accept or reject applications by a simple majority. In the case of rejections the monies shall be refunded.

On Election of an individual to membership the Secretary shall send that member a copy of the rules of the Irish Wolfhound Society of Ireland.

Members gain voting rights following two years continuous membership of the society.

3. All annual subscriptions for the following year are due at the conclusion of each Annual General Meeting and any member whose subscription is not paid thirty days before the next AGM shall not be entitled to voting rights at the meeting. The present membership subscription is €15.00 per member per year, €25.00 per two members living at the same address, €5.00 per junior member (up to 18 years old), €10.00 per associate member and overseas membership is €20.

3a. An Associate member is a member of the IWSoI with only partial rights and privileges. By paying a reduced rate the associate member will be invited to all Society events and can attend, observe and participate in debates at all meetings but has no voting rights at any meeting. An associate member can register to re-home a rescued dog if any such becomes available.

4. The Membership Secretary on behalf of the Club keeps a record of the names and addresses of fully paid up members, which list shall be available to all members, to view at the AGM.

5. Any member who may be suspended by the Irish Kennel Club shall automatically and for the same period of time be regarded as suspended from membership of the Irish Wolfhound Society of Ireland.

6. No member is empowered to pledge the credit of the Irish Wolfhound Society of Ireland without obtaining the authority of the Committee; and all items of expenditure shall come before the Committee for approval.

MEETINGS

7. The AGM shall be held each year before the end of October at a suitable place and on a date agreed by the Committee. The Secretary shall notify each member of the date of the AGM a minimum of 14 days beforehand. The Quorum for any AGM shall be 7 members.

8. All Officers and Committee shall be elected annually at the AGM by those members present and voting, and shall assume office on the completion of the said AGM. Any candidate for election as an Officer or Committee Member shall have been proposed and seconded by members of the Irish Wolfhound Society of Ireland. If a person is nominated and is not present at the meeting, such nominations shall not be accepted unless the written confirmation of the nominee to accept the position shall have been deposited with the Secretary prior to the commencement of the meeting, except under extenuating circumstances.

9. The Chairman or temporary Chairman of any Meeting shall have an ordinary vote and a casting vote in the event of a tie. Questions arising at Committee Meetings shall be decided by a majority of those present and voting. The quorum of any Committee Meeting shall be 5 Committee Members.

10. In the case of an office becoming vacant the Committee have the power to elect one of their members to fill the vacancy and to co-opt a member of the Irish Wolfhound Society of Ireland to fill the resulting vacancy on the Committee or for any other Committee vacancy.

11. Any proposed changes in the rules of the Irish Wolfhound Society of Ireland must be notified to the members by the Secretary and included in the agenda of the next AGM and when passed must be submitted to the Irish Kennel Club for their approval.

AMENDMENTS

12. This constitution and rules to be ratified and/or amended only by a resolution supported by two-thirds majority vote of the members present at a general meeting

ACCCOUNTS, BUDGET AND EXPENSES

13. The Treasurer shall receive all monies, keep a proper record of receipts and payments and report the financial status of the Irish Wolfhound Society of Ireland to each meeting of the Committee. The treasurer shall maintain a Banking Account in the name of the Irish Wolfhound Society of Ireland and any withdrawals from this account shall be over the signature of any two of three persons nominated by the Committee. The Treasurer shall also submit an audited Income and Expenditure Account to the members at the AGM. The Committee must maintain proper adjudication of bank accounts, signatories and representation. All expense claims must be presented for approval in advance and for payment within the same calendar year incurred to allow efficient budget planning.

The internal Auditor shall be appointed each year at the AGM and will be an officer of the Society who will be entitled to seek professional assistance with discretion.

DISCIPLINARY

14. The Officers and Committee shall have the power to require the resignation of any member whose conduct is deemed to be prejudicial to the best interests of the Irish Wolfhound Society of Ireland. If requested by the member in question, the Committee shall call a Special General Meeting at which the member shall have the right to speak in his /her defence. The decision of the Committee shall be ratified or rescinded by a majority of the members present and voting at that Special Meeting. Twenty-one days notice in writing must be given for any Special Meeting; only items on the agenda may be discussed.

DISSOLUTION

15. In the event of the Irish Wolfhound Society of Ireland being dissolved all Cups, Trophies and Club Records and property shall be handed to the Irish Kennel Club who will act as custodians thereof. Any dissolution will be formalised with the guidance of the IKC and quorum approval.

DISPUTE

16. The Irish Kennel Club shall be the final court of appeal in all matters of dispute, and in all cases relative to canine or club matters.

CHARITY

17. In the event that the Committee proposes to the membership at the AGM and where sufficient surplus of funds exist beyond the running costs of the Society, 10% OF NETT BANK BALANCES AT 31ST. Dec each year may be donated to an appropriate registered canine charity.

WEBSITE

18. The website is the premier communication and public relations tool of the Society. It is used to optimise the working performance of the Society and it’s aims. To this end a Website Manager is appointed, responsibilities noted in the Officer definitions.

CREST

19. The CREST of the Society is a wholly owned trademark of the Society and may not be used outside the guidance and approval of the Committee at any time. Any request to do so must be made to the Secretary in writing, approval only to be granted where the aims and responsibilities of the Society are met.

RATIFICATION

20. This constitution is ratified on 19th September 2010 at the Annual general Meeting of the Irish Wolfhound Society of Ireland at Bellewstown Co.Meath and is to be reviewed again in advance of the AGM 2012.


OFFICER DEFINITIONS

1. DEFINITION AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PRESIDENT

The AGM appointed person who advises on all aspects of Irish Wolfhound breed welfare, general breed information, experienced support of the Society in its development and progress, a valued support to all officers, co-ordinates with third party bodies eg. IKC, EKC, European and overseas Federations, ISPCA, Irish Coursing Club and other breed clubs and societies, media, contributes to and reports regularly on same always for the betterment of the Society. The President will act as Vice- and Temporary Chairperson in the absence of the Chairperson at any Society meeting.

2. DEFINITION AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHAIRPERSON

The AGM ratified person who presides over all meetings, where available, including committee and general meetings, is the chief officer of the society, acts as the presiding officer at disciplinary meetings, is the secondary signatory for all minutes as provided by the Secretary, provides consultative support to all other officers when needed, contributes to administrative burden when asked, co-ordinates with other officers and represents the society at events and functions when requested. Always for the betterment of the Society. Society Rule no.9 states the Chairperson ( and acting chairperson where appropriate) has an ordinary and a casting vote in the event of a tie.

3. DEFINITION AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SECRETARY

The AGM ratified person responsible for all correspondence, who keeps records and files, prepares and agenda for and takes minutes of all meetings for approval and signature, answers correspondence for the Society and who presides over an administrative function in co-operation with all other officers including updated review notes for meetings and reports where desirable and always for the betterment of the Society.

4. DEFINITION AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TREASURER

The AGM ratified person responsible for all Society collected funds, who receives monies arising from all sources of revenue, including membership fees, fundraising activities, event contributions, takes charge of same, manages a Bank or equivalent account including retention of statement records for the Secretary and disburses funds on instruction from the Committee and reports regularly on same always for the betterment of the Society.

5. DEFINITION AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY

The AGM ratified person responsible for keeping an up to date computer and hard copy record of all members in all categories ( fully paid up, honorary, overseas etc ) for the communication of same to the Committee and all members as stipulated in Rule 4 of Society Rules, co-ordination with the Treasurer and Secretary to optimise membership records, in particular for funding and insurance items where required by Society rules, to encourage new members, to provide membership registration forms ( as required by rule 2 of Society Rules and thereby to include an agreement to abide by IKC rules and subscription payment – particular regard should be given to members eligibility to vote at the AGM) and to report to the Committee regularly in regard to same always for the betterment of the Society.

6. DEFINITION AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COURSING SECRETARY

The AGM ratified person responsible for organising Coursing events for the Society, communication of same to the Committee and all members in keeping with the annual diary of the Society, communication with other breed clubs on promotion and attendance, co-ordination with the Treasurer and Secretary in particular for funding and insurance items where required by Society rules, to encourage attendance and to report to the Committee regularly in regard to same always for the betterment of the Society.

7. DEFINITION AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE WEBSITE MANAGER

The AGM ratified person, operating on a voluntary or paid basis, is responsible for the technical and professional running and presentation of the Society website ensuring that the site represents the aims of the Society at all times, that it does not bring the Society into disrepute at any time, that the domain name remains in the ownership of the Society, that following meetings directions from the Committee are updated at the earliest opportunity, that show results and agreed items of breed and general interest are included as soon as available, that no individual preference for inclusions will supersede the preference of the Committee and that all steps are taken to ensure security, backup and protection of records written, electronic and photographic at all times.