1.   NAME

1.1  The Club shall be called the Otterhound Club

2.   OBJECTS

2.1  The objects of the Club shall be:

a.  to ensure the survival of the purebred Otterhound

b.  to encourage the responsible breeding of Otterhounds of correct type and working qualities and the judging of them at Shows according to the standard of the breed.                                                                      
c.  to hold shows, and by offering guarantees and other means, procure classes for Otterhounds at Dog Shows and offer special prizes at any Dog Show,

d.  to promote educational and social activities for the members.

3.   MEMBERS

3.1  The Club shall consist of an unlimited number of members whose names and addresses shall be  entered in a register to be kept by the Honorary Secretary.  The list of names will be available for inspection by the Kennel Club or a member of the Club on request.  A declaration of the number of members of the Club must be made with annual returns.      

3.2  Application for membership of the Club shall be addressed to the Secretary and be proposed by one member and seconded by another.  In applying for membership each individual agrees to abide by both the Club’s and Kennel Club’s Codes of Ethics and Conduct.  The Committee shall have the absolute discretion to refuse, by simple majority, any application for membership without stated reason.  

3.3  Each member of a joint husband and wife or two bona fide partners membership shall be entitled to individual voting rights.  No Member shall vote with regard to any matter in which he has a financial interest and shall be under obligation to declare any such interest which he may have. Junior membership without voting rights will be available up to 16 years of age.  There shall be no facility for proxy voting.   

4.   OFFICERS

4.1  All Officers shall be permanently resident in the UK.  The Officers shall consist of President, Vice President(s), Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer  (which offices may be combined), who shall be ex officio members of the Committee.

5.  COMMITTEE

5.1  The management of the Club shall be in the hands of a Committee consisting of the Officers and not more than 8 other members who must be  permanently resident in the UK and shall be elected to serve for three years and will retire in the following order in consecutive years; 

       a.  Chairman, and  3 members

       b.  Vice Chairman, Treasurer, and  2 members

       c.  Honorary Secretary, and  3 members.

The President and any Vice-Presidents are elected for life, or until the relevant vacancy arises.   

5.2  The retiring Officers and Committee will be eligible for re-election if available.  Elections shall take place at the Annual General Meeting and a secret ballot will be held if necessary.  Nominations for election shall be sent in writing, duly proposed and seconded by fully paid up members, before the date determined in the notice of the Annual General Meeting and must have the written assent of the nominee.    No person who has been a member for less than three years may be elected or co-opted to the committee      
5.3  Meetings of the Committee, of which not less than 14 days notice shall be given, shall be held as often as deemed necessary, and  provided that at least 2 Officers are present, 6 shall form a quorum for the transaction of business which shall be recorded in a Minute Book kept by the Honorary Secretary.  The Committee shall have the power to co-opt and fill any vacancy that occurs until the next Annual General Meeting.  Should it not be convenient at any time to call a meeting of the Committee, consultation can take place by post, e-mail or telephone.  The Chairman, in the event of an equality of votes, shall have a casting vote.

5.4  The Committee is authorised to seek help from persons to assist in the running of Shows and other functions where required, and  to appoint Sub-Committees to deal with such matters as it may delegate to them. The Committee shall have the power to make such Bye-Laws and Regulations not inconsistent with the terms of the Constitution and Rules as it may from time to time deem necessary and they alone shall have the power to decide on any matters in dispute not provided for in the Rules.  

5.5  The Committee shall be empowered to recommend the appointment of Patrons,  Honorary Presidents, Honorary Vice Presidents and Honorary Members for ratification by the membership at the Annual General Meeting.  

5.6  If any Committee member shall have been absent from three consecutive meetings of the Committee without submitting a satisfactory explanation, they shall be deemed to have resigned from the Committee.

5.7  The Officers acknowledge that during the month of January each year Maintenance of Title fee will be forwarded to the Kennel Club whether by the Secretary or by Direct Debit for continuance of  registration and that  other returns, as stipulated in the Kennel Club Regulations for the Registration and Maintenance of Title of Societies and Breed Councils and the Affiliation of  Agricultural Societies and Municipal Authorities, will be forwarded to the Kennel Club.  The Officers also acknowledge their duty to inform the Kennel Club of any changes of Secretary or other officers and committee members of the Club which may occur during the course of the year.  

5.8   No person whilst an undischarged bankrupt may serve on the Committee or hold any other office or appointment within a Kennel Club Registered Society.   

6.   CLUB ACCOUNTS

6.1  A banking account shall be opened in the name of the Club into which all  revenues of the Club shall be paid and from which withdrawals shall only be made on the signatures of two Officers, one of whom must be the Honorary Treasurer.  The remaining Officer or Officers authorised to sign shall be determined by the Committee.  It shall be at the sole discretion of the Committee to invest any surplus income of funds of the Club or disburse same in whatever manner it decides.  

6.2  The accounts shall be kept by the Honorary Treasurer who shall report and give information as to the finances of the Club at all meetings.  Certification of the accounts must be carried out annually by a qualified accountant or two individuals with accountancy experience, unconnected ,to the committee,  and presented to the members at the Annual General Meeting .  The financial year of the Club shall be from 1st January to 31st December.   

7.   SUBSCRIPTION

7.1  The level of subscription shall be determined annually by the membership at the Annual General Meeting and notified to the Kennel Club.  

7.2  Subscriptions shall be due and payable to the Honorary Treasurer on 1st January each year.  The preferred method of payment is by bank transfer and members are encouraged to set up a Direct Debit to that effect.  In the case of members joining after 1st October in any year, however, the subscription shall cover the whole of the following financial year.  No member whose subscription remains unpaid shall be entitled to the privileges of membership.  If any member has not paid by 31st January, the Committee shall have the power to erase the name from the List of Members.    

8.   GENERAL MEETINGS

8.1  The Annual General Meeting, of which not less than fifty six days notice shall be given, either in writing or by way of publication in the canine press, and the Agenda for which shall be circulated at least fourteen days prior to the meeting, shall be held before 30th  June each year for the following purposes;                        

       a. To receive the Minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting 

       b. To receive the report of the Committee and the balance sheet of the Club

       c. To elect Officers, Committee and independent accountant

       d. To discuss any resolution or other item placed on the Agenda of which prior notice has been given in writing to the Honorary Secretary by 14th February of each year.  

8.2  No business shall be transacted at the Annual General Meeting unless notice  thereof appears on the Agenda with the exception of routine matters or those which in the opinion of the Chairman of the Meeting are urgent.    

8.3  A copy of the audited statement of accounts shall be forwarded on the request of a member 14 days prior to the Annual General Meeting.  Additionally it will be available for inspection by members at the Annual General Meeting.

8.4  A Special General Meeting may be called at any time by the Committee and shall be called by the Secretary within 28 days on the request in writing of not less than twenty five members or 25% of fully paid up members of record at the time of the last Annual General Meeting, whichever is greater, addressed to the Honorary Secretary and stating the subject to be discussed.  Notice of such meetings shall state the business and be given in writing not less than fourteen days before the date of the meeting.  No business other than that specifically stated in the notice shall be considered at such a meeting.  The quorum at a Special General Meeting shall be not less than twenty five members or 25% of fully paid up members of record at the time of the last Annual General Meeting, whichever is the greater.        

9.   JUDGING LIST

9.1  The Committee shall appoint a Sub-Committee who will prepare and maintain a Breed Judging list by secret ballot each year.  Those whose names are included must meet the agreed minimum criteria. The lists will form part of the annual returns to the Kennel Club  

10.  CONSTITUTION AND RULES

10.1 The Constitution and Rules of the Club shall form the basis of Membership and may not be altered except at an Annual or Special General Meeting, notice of which includes details of the proposal to alter the rules.  Such alterations shall not be brought into force until the Kennel Club has been advised and has given its approval to the alterations.     

11.  CLUB PROPERTY

11.1  The property of the Club shall be vested in the Committee.  Trophies donated to the Club shall be deemed to be the sole property of the Club  and shall not be accepted under any other conditions.  All cups and trophies offered by the Club shall be confined to Members.  In the event of the DISSOLUTION of the Club, a General Meeting shall be called to decide the disposal of any assets other than Trophies, the donors of which shall wherever possible be consulted, and such Trophies disposed of in accordance with their wishes.   

11.2  If the Club is wound up or ceases to be a Registered Club under Kennel Club regulations, a final statement of audited 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 on the last return furnished to the Kennel Club will be held responsible by the Kennel Club for the appropriate winding up of the Club.    

12.  EXPULSION OF MEMBERS

12.1  Any member who shall be disqualified under the Kennel Club Rule A11j(5) and/or  Kennel Club Rule A11j(9) shall ipso-facto cease to be a member of the Club.      

12.2  If the conduct of any member shall, in the opinion of the Committee of the Club, be injurious or likely to be injurious to the character or interests of the Club, the Committee of the Club may at a meeting, the notice convening which includes as an object the consideration of the conduct of the member, determine that a Special General Meeting of the Club shall be called for the purpose of  passing a Resolution to expel him/her.  Notice of the Special General Meeting shall be sent to the accused member, giving particulars of the complaint and advising the place, date and hour of the meeting, that he/she may attend and offer an explanation.  If at that Meeting a Resolution to expel is passed by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting, his/her name shall forthwith be erased from the List of Members and he/she shall thereupon cease for all purposes to be a member of the Club except that he/she may, within two calendar months from the date of such a meeting, appeal to the Kennel Club upon and subject to such conditions as the Kennel Club may impose.  

12.2 The expulsion of a member for discreditable conduct shall be reported in writing to the Kennel Club within seven days of the meeting and particulars shall be supplied if required.  

13.  FEDERATION

13.1 The Club shall not join any Federation of Societies or Clubs.

14.  KENNEL CLUB THE FINAL AUTHORITY

14.1 The Kennel Club is the final authority for interpreting the Constitution and Rules of the Club and in all cases relative to canine or Club matters.  

Adopted at the 2023 AGM.