Membership

Code of Ethics

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This Code is presented for members of the Flat-coated Retriever Society of Canada, Inc. The foremost aims of the Society are presented herein; namely, preserving and improving the character, natural retrieving ability, breed type and soundness, both physical and mental, of the Flat-coated Retriever.

Every person who is associated with the Flat-coated Retriever, whether a pet owner, breeder, hunter, competitor, trainer or handler, has a duty and responsibility to preserve and protect our breed.

It is particularly important that breeders place a strong emphasis on the multi-purpose nature of our breed as defined in the Breed Standard when evaluating breeding prospects. The Breed Standard as approved by the Canadian Kennel Club is the only standard of excellence by which the Flat-Coated Retriever shall be judged. It is important to note that The Flat-coated Retriever Society of Canada, Inc. Code of Ethics establishes a minimum criteria for the responsible ownership of Flat-coated Retrievers.

Requirements

The following requirements are considered to be ascertainable standards needed for the welfare of our breed. They are of sufficient importance that violations, if verified, will result in disciplinary action by the Board of Directors.

General Requirements

1) Member's routine attention to his/her dog's general health, nutrition and well-being are the member's most important responsibilities of dog ownership.

2) Dogs should be kept in a safe and healthy environment with proper shelter from weather conditions.

3) Dogs should have annual veterinary checkups, inoculations and appropriate preventive health care.

4) Members should ensure that their dogs are not a nuisance to neighbours or community by properly controlling, licensing and supervising dogs at all times.

5) Members shall never sell or give a Flat-coat to a third party agent, a pet shop, commercial dealer, health organization for the purpose of experimentation, or to a laboratory. Nor shall a Flat-coat be sold or given for auction, raffle or prize.

Requirements for Breeders

A Breeder is defined as anyone who owns or is responsible for any bitch or stud dog that is used for breeding, even if breed only one time.

1) All dogs that are bred must have an OVC (Ontario Veterinary College) number or OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) number, or a board-certified veterinary equivalent and CERF number board-certified ophthalmologist equivalent.

2) All breeding stock must be of sound temperament; aggressive, unprovoked attacks on humans or other dogs is not true temperament of the Flat-coated Retriever.

3) As Flat-coated Retrievers are a very slow maturing breed, the Breeder uses only healthy, genetically sound adult dogs and bitches who are not less than 24 months of age at the time of the first breeding.

4) A responsible breeder will space litters of any bitch to average one year between litters.

5) A responsible breeder will require CKC non-breeding contracts, spay/neuter contracts or co-ownership contracts on puppies that are sold as pets.

6) Breeders should provide honest and clear information on Flat-coated Retrievers to the prospective purchaser prior to the actual sale. This information should include things such as the fact that the breed is a high energy breed, likes to be with people, must not be confined to kennels, needs good quality exercise time. Obedience classes are a must.

7) All puppies leaving the breeder's possession must be at least seven weeks old, with the exception of puppies for potential guide dogs, which may be released between six and seven weeks of age.

8) Before deciding to produce a litter, the breeder (both stud dog and bitch owners) should consider the proper placement of puppies which will not be kept by the breeders.

9) Breeders must provide purchaser with a written sales contract specifying at least:

a) his or her guarantee for the puppy or dog covered by the contract,

b) that the breeder must be contacted if the purchaser no longer can or wants to keep the dog

c) that the dog, and any of its offspring, will never be given or sold to any person or party listed above under "General Requirements 5."

10) A responsible breeder MUST be willing at any time to take back or help relocate any Flat-coat that he or she has sold.

11) Breeders must give careful thought to any request for puppies or mature dogs to any foreign country, where attitudes towards dogs are questionable.

12) As is stated in the CKC breed standard for the Flat-coated Retriever the only acceptable colours for the breed are black and liver, therefore, any yellow Flat-coats that are produced must never be used for breeding and must be sold only as pets with a strict neuter/spay contract. Purchasers of black or liver puppies from a litter with yellow in it must be advised that their puppy could carry the yellow gene.

Enforcement

Alleged violations of the Code of Ethics should be reported to the Board of Directors. The Board shall have the power to warn, suspend, or expel any member if, in the opinion of the Board, he/she has violated the Code of Ethics. The Board will investigate the report following a published procedure that provides for due process. Any members suspended temporarily or permanently by the Board shall have the right to appeal the decision to the general membership at the next annual meeting, provided the request for appeal is received by the Recording Secretary not less than 6 weeks before the annual meeting. Any substantial violations of CKC Rules and Regulations will be forwarded to the CKC by the Board of Directors.

Enforcement action taken by the Board will be published in the newsletter to keep the membership informed, however, information identifying violators will be omitted, except in the case where a suspended member appeals as described above, and would therefore be identified in the proceedings of an annual meeting as documented in the minutes.

Acceptance

Each prospective member will affirm that they will comply with the Code of Ethics, by signature on the application for membership.

Each member will reaffirm compliance annually by signature when membership is renewed.