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​South Shore Kennel Club
Constitution
&
By-Laws
Organized: July 3rd, 1974
Revised:  November 2015

Constitution
  1.     Name
    The name of this organization shall be “The South Shore Kennel Club” hereinafter referred to as the “S.S.K.C.” or  the “Club”.

  1.    Affiliation
   The club shall work in co-operation with the Canadian Kennel Club.

  1.    Aims & Objectives
   The aims and objectives of this club shall be as follows:
  1. To promote the interest of and uphold the By-Laws of the Canadian Kennel Club;
  2. To ensure that the SSKC will not be conducted or operated for profit and any operating surplus or remainder of residue from donations, dues, etc., to the Club shall not be of any benefit to any member or individual. 

  1.     Area of Operation
    The area of operation of the Club shall be a 50 kilometre radius of Bridgewater, Nova Scotia but nothing herein written shall be deemed to delimit the area in which the members may seek to achieve their purpose.

  1.     Revision Of Constitution
    This Constitution shall only be altered by Special Resolution passed by three-quarters (3/4) of the members entitled to vote present at the meeting. 

  1.      Special Resolution
     Special Resolution as it relates to the Constitution or By-Laws means a resolution passed by ¾ of the members present at a general meeting or which prior notice of intention to propose the special resolution has been given.  Special Resolution concerning Constitution or By-Laws amendment must be submitted in writing.
 
 
  
Article 1    Membership and Dues
  1.     Membership Year
     The membership year of the Club shall be from January 1st to December 31st.
  1.      Eligibility
     No person shall be eligible for or continue to enjoy the membership who
  1. Is under suspension or expulsion by the CKC.
  2. Is or becomes engaged in the breeding or selling of dogs which are not purebred and CKC registered.
 
Types Of Membership
  1. There shall be four (4) types of Membership in the Club
-ordinary member
-junior member
-life member
-honorary member

                     b)      Ordinary Member:
                             Any person age of 19 years and older shall be eligible to join the club as an Ordinary Member provided an application form is signed by two Ordinary Members of the Club as sponsors and the proposed membership is made known to the Club membership at one of the meetings and approved by three-forths (3/4) vote of members present.  Applicants for membership whose application has been rejected will be notified in writing with an explanation as to why the application was rejected within 30 days of the decision to reject.  Ordinary membership is intended for persons who are regular participants and dedicated members of the Club.  Ordinary members that have attended at least 4 meetings in the past 12 months may vote, hold any office, serve on any committee and have all rights, privileges and responsibilities of full membership in the Club. 

  1.      Junior Member: 
    
     Any boy or girl between the ages of 12 and 18 years who are sponsored by an adult member of the Club shall be admitted to the Club.  Junior members may participate in all activities of the Club but shall not have a vote nor shall they stand for any office but must be willing to abide by the Club’s Code Of Ethics.
 

  1.      Life Member:
    
     Life membership shall be awarded to a member who is or has been an ordinary member and who has made an outstanding contribution to the Club.  Name of the Life Member will be presented to the Club at an SSKC Annual meeting by the Board of Directors for a majority vote by the members present.  All Life Members shall be free from all payment of membership fees and provided that they have attended 4 meetings in the past 12 months, may vote, hold any office, serve on any committee and have all rights and responsibilities of full membership in the club. 

  1.      Honorary Member:
 
     The club may, at any annual meeting, elect Honorary Members by majority vote of the members present.  Such Honorary Membership may be granted for outstanding service to the Club or for any other reason(s) the members feel warrant this honor.  Honorary members shall not vote at any meeting, shall be free from all payment of membership fees, nor stand for office or directorship in the Club. 
 
 
 

  1.           Application for Membership
  1.   New Membership
The application for new membership shall be made on a form provided by the Executive.  Completion of the application form is to be forwarded to the Secretary.  The applicant must be sponsored by two Ordinary Members of the Club.
  1. Approval Of Membership
Upon acceptance, new members will pay membership dues to the Treasurer. 
  1. Renewal of Membership
Membership can be renewed each year by making payment of current membership dues to the Treasurer in accordance with Article 1, Section 5.
  1.           Dues
          The membership fees shall be set and approved yearly by the membership at the annual general meeting.  Fees shall be due in advance or on the first day of January each year.  Any person elected to the Club between January 1st and October 31st in any year shall pay full membership.
 
Whenever there are dues unpaid, the Treasurer shall so announce that fact at each meeting in January and February and shall endeavor to contact absent members to remind them of delinquency in payment of dues.  Any member who fails to pay his dues prior to March 1st shall lose his membership.  Such lapsed member may be reinstated provided that past dues are paid, an application form signed by two Ordinary Club members is submitted and the proposed reinstatement is made known to the Club membership and subsequently approved by the membership.
 
 

  1.           Resignation of Members
                           A member may resign at any time, sending a written notice to the Secretary.  No member may resign while in debt to the Club.  No part of the annual dues shall be refunded to a resigning member.  The member will be deemed to be a member of the Club until such time as his resignation is accepted by the Executive. 

  1.           Discipline (Suspension or Expulsion)
         A member may be suspended or expelled from the Club for:
      -violation of the Rules of the Canadian Kennel Club or
      -violation of the Club’s Code of Ethics or
      -is or becomes actively engaged in the breeding or selling of dogs which are not purebred and CKC registered or
      -conduct considered highly injurious to the Club
Such suspension or expulsion can be made only with three-fourths (3/4) vote of the members present at a regular or special meeting of the Club itself, with a 10 day advance written notice to the member concerned and a full written statement of such charges with the notice.  Such written notice shall be sent by registered mail to the last known address of the member or charged.  Such member shall have full opportunity to be heard at the meeting before the vote is taken.  Suspension, when imposed, automatically deprives the member of the privileges of the Club for the period ordered.  Expulsion, when imposed, shall terminate membership. 
 
Article II     Meetings
 
Section 1          General Meetings
The Club shall hold regular monthly meetings on the third Monday of each month with the exception of July and August. 
The January meeting shall be the Annual Meeting. 
 
Section 2          Annual Meetings
The January meeting shall be the Annual Meeting.   The election of officers shall take place biennially at the Annual Meeting.
Quorum.  At least 30% of members in good standing must be present to constitute a quorum at any meeting.  Only members in good standing that have attended 4 meetings in the past 12 months may vote.
 
Section 3          Special Meetings
Special meetings may be called at any time by the President and must be called upon receipt of a signed request to him by at least 25% of the members.
Notice of such special meetings must be sent by mail or electronically to each member in good standing not later than 10 days before the date of such meeting.  The subject for which the special meeting is called shall constitute the Agenda. 
 
Section 4          Meetings of the Directors
The Directors (the Executives) shall meet at the call of the President or any three (3) Executive Members.
 
Section 5          Notice Of  Meetings
Notice of time and place of meetings shall be e-mailed by the Secretary to each member of the Club seven (7) days before holding of such meeting.
 
 
 
Article III          Board of Directors
 
Section1.     A.          Officers
The officers of the Club shall be President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.  These persons shall also serve as the Club’s Board of Directors, Membership Committee, Arbitration Committee and Ethics Committee.
 
Duties and Responsibilities of Officers
  1. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Club and shall be supervising and co-ordination chairman (Ex Officiao) of all standing committees. 
  2. The Vice President shall, in the absence of the President, carry on the duties pertaining to the office of the President.  They shall also aid all officers in all matters that require assistance. 
  3. The Secretary shall be the custodian of all papers, correspondence, seal of the Club, etc. and shall keep a true record of all meetings of the Club and generally carry on all duties which pertain to the office.  The Club’s seal is only to be used by the Secretary and may be affixed to any document upon resolution of the Executive.
  4. The Treasurer shall be the custodian of the funds of the Club, shall keep a correct and true account thereof, and shall, upon request at any meeting, present a statement of the financial position of the Club.  All monies shall be paid out by him upon approval by the members of the Club at a regular meeting; however, when special occasions arise, he may make payments of accounts up to the amount of $100.00 cheque(s).
The funds shall be kept in a recognized financial institution and such funds may only be released by cheque signed jointly by the Treasurer and one of the two signing officers appointed by the Club at the biennial meeting.  None of the signing officers may be related by blood, marriage or co-habitation.  No one shall incur any obligation on account of the Club without prior specific approval of a majority of the members of the Club present at a general meeting, except that when the matter is deemed urgent by the chairman of the appropriate Committee, the board of Directors may authorize any obligation to not to exceed $500.00.
 
Audit.  At the annual general meeting, club members shall appoint another club member to audit the Club’s accounts. 
 
Section 2.  Terms of office for officers and directors
 
The term of office shall be for two years.  All elections shall be by ballot, a majority shall elect.  The new officers shall take office immediately following the election of ALL officers to be elected at that meeting.
 
Members entitled to vote shall have the right on the floor, at the election of officers, to nominate a candidate for office, prior to balloting.  A majority vote is necessary to elect.  When there are more than two nominees and the leading candidate has not received a majority of all votes cast, a second balloting shall be held immediately, limiting the nominees to the two highest.
 
A vacancy is any office shall be filled immediately by the members at the next regular meeting, for the unexpired term.
 
The Club may, by special resolution, remove any officer before the expiration of the period of office and appoint another person in his stead.  The person so appointed shall hold office during such time only as the officer in whose place he is appointed would have held office if he had not been removed.
 
In addition to the committees provided in Article III, Section 1., the Club may have the following Committees: Nominating Committee, Program Committee, Show Committee, Obedience & Training Committee and any other committees which are deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.  The President, with the approval of the Board of Directors, shall appoint such members as he deems appropriate to each such committee, and he shall, with Board approval, designate a chairman for each such committee.
 
The Club may borrow money if so authorized by the membership by special resolution. 
 
Article IV          Shows and Trials
 
All conformation Shows and Obedience/Rally Trials shall be conducted in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the Canadian Kennel Club.  There shall be a separate bank account entitled “Show Account” from which payments for all matters concerning a Show or Obedience/Rally Trial shall be made by cheque(s) signed by the Show Committee Treasurer and one of the Club’s signing officers.
 
Article V          Revision of By-Laws
 
The By-Laws shall only be altered by special resolution passed by ¾ of members entitled to vote present at meeting.
 
Special Resolution as it relates to the Constitution of By-Laws means a resolution passed by ¾ of the members present at a general meeting of which prior notice of intention to propose the special resolution has been given. 
Special resolution concerning Constitution or By-Laws amendment must be submitted in writing. 
 
Article VI          Dissolution
Should the club remain inactive for a period of two years, or should its members decide to dissolve the Club, all assets should be converted to cash and transferred by way of cheque to a charitable organization(s) of the Club’s choosing. 
 
Article VII          Miscellaneous
The books and records of the Club may be inspected at the time of the monthly meeting by any Club member if prior notice is given to the Officer(s) involved.
 
Contracts, deeds, etc., may be executed on behalf of the Club by the President and the Secretary OR, in the absence of the President, by the Secretary and any other Executive member.
 
 
Article VIII          Order Of Business
Rules of Order as found in Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern all meetings of the Club and the Board of Directors as far as they are applicable and not inconsistent with the provisions of this constitution. 
  1. To advance the best interest of the purebred dog and the purebred dog fancier in all matters;
  2. To encourage and support Canadian Kennel Club recognized events for competition and public interest;
  3. To emphasize to the public the importance and merit of purebred registered dogs;
  4. To foster and maintain among ourselves a warm friendship and high degree of sportsmanship;