Article 1

Name and Aims

1.01

The Club shall be known as the MAINE COON GUILD .

1.02

The Domain name for the Club shall be www.mainecoonguild.org.uk

1.03

The Domain name will be registered with Nominet in the name of the MAINE COON GUILD secretary. The address for correspondence by Nominet will be the serving Honorary secretary. On appointment of a new secretary the correspondence address for Nominet will be changed to the new secretary’s address by the outgoing secretary.

1.04

Where the Club is promoted in the public arena the name Maine Coon Guild in full will be used.

1.05

The United Kingdom shall refer to the geographical territories represented by England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

1.06

The aims of the MAINE COON GUILD shall be:

(a)   To sponsor and promote the welfare of all breeds of cat and specifically the Maine Coon.

(b)   To cultivate and promote friendship among the owners, fanciers and breeders of Maine Coon cats.

(c)   To promote Maine Coon breeding towards FIFe breed standards.

(d)   To encourage breeders to show their cats with FIFe as a means of endorsing aim c. 

(e)   To encourage the registration of cats with Felis Britannica (FB the UK’s FIFe member).

(f)   To plan and pursue a program of healthy selective breeding designed to produce and improve the individual breed’s in the UK.

(g)   To encourage spaying and neutering of any and all cats not specifically being used as part of a viable breeding program in order to reduce the excessive trend to the over population of and tragedy among unwanted cats.

(h)    To promote and encourage kindness to all animals and assist in prevention of cruelty and bad treatment of all animals.

(i)   To promote friendship, understanding and communication among breeders, exhibitors and the general pet owning community.

(j)   To encourage the free and meaningful exchange of knowledge among breeders, exhibitors, fanciers and pet owners.

(k)    To facilitate breeder access to information on such subjects as genetics, veterinary research, cattery management and feline behavioural problems.

(l)    To create an interest in breeding, exhibiting and owning a Maine Coon cat in the UK and abroad.

(m)  The Guild will be bound by the rules and regulations of FB and FIFe.

Article 2

Membership

2.01

Membership shall be open to all persons sharing an interest in any of the clubs aims

2.02

Application for membership shall be to the Honorary Membership Secretary of the MAINE COON GUILD on the official application form (see Appendix 1 & 2).

2.03

Four types of membership are available

A)      Pet Associate Member

B)      Pet Full Member

C)      Breeder Associate Member

D)     Breeder Full Member

Breeder Members are provided with breeder services in addition to all Pet Member services.

The differentiation between Associate and Full members is due to FIFe requirements. Full members of the Maine Coon Guild are counted towards the Maine Coon Guild voting allocation at the FB Annual General Assembly. It also allows them to be offered the Maine Coon Guild Registration Service.

A breeder cannot be a pet member; they must take Breeder Membership and abide by all the code of ethics. All breeder members must abide by rules of the club and statutes of  FB/FIFe

2.04

Membership applications shall be acted upon individually and by secret ballot at the next committee meeting following receipt by the Honorary Membership Secretary of the application.
All new members who have been accepted by the committee will be subject to a probationary period of 12 months from the date of acceptance.

Criteria to be considered in this ballot shall be

A)      Pet Members

·         Known to be a responsible owner of a Maine Coon Cat.

·         Known to have no current RSPCA disciplinary actions against them

B)      Breeder Members

·         Known to be a responsible breeder by at least one of the Maine Coon Guild breeders and supported by at least one other of the Maine Coon Guild breeders.

·         Known to have no current FIFe, GCCF or Felis Britannica Member Clubs disciplinary actions against them.

·         Known to have no current RSPCA disciplinary actions against them.

2.05

A simple majority of votes are sufficient to elect or reject applications.  The Chairman shall have the casting vote.

2.06

The MAINE COON GUILD committee shall have the right to refuse membership without disclosing the reasons.

2.07

Notice of acceptance or rejection should be sent to the applicant by the Honorary Membership Secretary.

2.08

The amount of the annual subscription for the MAINE COON GUILD shall be decided by the committee and reviewed from time to time.  The annual subscription shall run from the 1^st May each year.

2.09

Failure to pay subscriptions within 2 months of the due date will result in the member automatically being dropped from the membership list.  A reminder will be send to the defaulting member by the Honorary Membership Secretary at least two weeks before the period of grace expires.

2.10

All members must be in good standing with the FIFe and must adhere to the club’s Code of Ethics (see section 8).

2.11

 It shall be the duty of each member to uphold the aims of the MAINE COON GUILD and to fulfil carefully the terms of all transactions concerned with cats, such as sale, stud fees and pedigrees, whether such business is carried on with other club members or breeders or the public at large.

Article 3

Affiliation

3.01

The MAINE COON GUILD is a full member of Felis Britannica.

Article 4

Meetings

4.01

At least 2 Committee Meetings between A.G.M’s; shall be held on such dates and at such times and places as the committee shall designate, such decision being dependent on the wishes of the majority of the committee.

4.02

 Special meetings (E.G.M.) may be called from time to time if necessary for the transaction of important business and may be called by the Chairman, committee or upon written request of fifteen percent (15%) of  the membership.  The business at this meeting shall be limited to that mentioned in the request.

4.03

Members shall be notified of the time and place of all meetings by mail, telephone, email or in person by the Honorary Secretary or his/her representative.

4.04

Ten (10) regular members, plus 3 officers, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at an Annual General Meeting.  Three (3) members of the committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction at a Committee Meeting.

Article 5

Officers and Committee

5.01

The officers of the MAINE COON GUILD shall be a Chairman, a Vice-Chairman, an Honorary Secretary, an Honorary Membership Secretary and an Honorary Treasurer.  The offices may be combined at the discretion of the club.

5.02

The management of the business affairs of the MAINE COON GUILD shall be under the direction of a committee consisting of not less than three (3) and not more than ten (10) members.

5.03

Committee members shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and shall take office to serve for the ensuing 3 years.  The committee may co-opt up to four (4) more members provided that the co-opted members meet the membership requirements at that time, and that the total number of elected members shall serve until the next following Annual General Meeting and thereafter shall be eligible for election.

5.04

The elected committee will be tasked with the day to day running of the MAINE COON GUILD between Annual General Meetings. Any decisions necessary for the day to day running will be made on a committee basis – a simple majority being necessary to carry this decision. 

5.05

The MAINE COON GUILD committee may elect annually other officers or sub-committees as deemed advisable.

Article 6

Duties of Officers

6.01

The Chairman, the Vice Chairman or a member of the committee nominated by the Chairman shall preside at all meetings of the members and of the committee and shall perform such other duties as are incidental to the Chairman’s office.  He/she shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.

6.02

The Vice-Chairman shall perform all the duties of the chairman in the absence of that officer.

6.03

The Honorary Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meetings of the members and the committee of the MAINE COON GUILD and shall present them at ensuing meetings.

6.04

The Honorary Secretary shall keep an attendance record.  He/she shall notify the Committee members of regular meetings at least one (1) week prior to the date of the meeting, and notify members of the Annual General Meeting at least fourteen (14) days prior to the date of the meeting.  In the case of the Annual General Meeting the Honorary Secretary shall remind all regular members that nominations for the MAINE COON GUILD committee and resolutions for the Annual General Meeting should be submitted at least two (2) weeks before the date of the Annual General Meeting. 

6.05

The Honorary Membership Secretary shall maintain a list of all paid up members with the names, addresses and telephone numbers of each.  He/she shall advise applicants for club membership of the action taken on their application.

6.06

The Honorary Treasurer shall receive and have custody of all monies and shall deposit the same in a bank account in the name of the MAINE COON GUILD.  He/she shall keep account of all receipts and expenditures and shall render a financial report at each regular meeting, and audited accounts at each Annual General Meeting.  He/she shall report to each committee meeting as to the state of the balance in the bank account.  He/she shall furnish names and addresses to the Honorary Membership Secretary of all membership subscriptions paid.

6.07

In the event of affiliation to the British member of FIFe, on or before January 1^st each year the Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer shall make an annual report to the Fife member for Britain, which report shall include a list of members of the club with their addresses, a list of officers and committee members, a report (including financial report) of any shows held during the year, a copy of the club rules, a copy of the financial report of the club and such other information as may be required by the British FIFe member.

6.08

Membership records, minute book, attendance records and books of accounts of the MAINE COON GUILD shall be the property of the club and not of the officer administering them. On standing down as a committee officer that person cannot use the Membership records, minute book, attendance records and books of accounts in any way other than for official Guild requirements.

Article 7

Discipline

7.01

The committee shall have the power to suspend or expel from membership any person who, after a fair and impartial hearing, shall be found guilty of violating any rules of the MAINE COON GUILD or FB, the British member of FIFe, or of conduct detrimental to the MAINE COON GUILD or the cat fancy.

(a)   The charges against any member or officer must be made in writing, by the person or persons preferring the charges and directed to the committee.

(b)   The written charges must contain sufficient documentation to determine the validity of the complaint.

(c)   The written charges must contain information on how to contact all relevant witnesses.

7.02

The person or persons preferring the charges shall be prepared to present facts supporting their allegations.

7.03

The Chairman shall set a date for a hearing, and notify all parties involved by registered letter not less than seven (7) days in advance of the hearing date.

7.04

The person against whom the charge is preferred will be notified formally by registered letter of the details of the charges at least twenty one (21) days in advance of the hearing.

7.05

After a fair and impartial hearing the officers present shall vote on how to proceed.  A 2/3 majority of officers present shall constitute a decision. All Committee decisions will be final. An appeal can be made within 7 days to the Felis Britannica Honorary Secretary in which case the Felis Britannica disciplinary procedure will take over.

7.06

In the event any member should have a FIFe, GCCF or Felis Britannica Member Clubs disciplinary actions taken against them then the membership service they are entitled to will be withdrawn until such a time as the action is removed.

7.07

In the event any member should have an RSPCA action taken against them then the membership service they are entitled to will be withdrawn until such a time as the action is removed.

Article 8

Code of Ethics

8.01

Member breeders shall breed their Queens to Studs that conform to the officially recognised Maine Coon Standard of Points.

8.02

Member breeders should try to ensure, when selling cats or kittens for breeding; that only breeders of integrity and responsibility become the owners of breeding queens. Members should not knowingly sell breeding cats to a commercial organisation

8.03

The breeder should do his/her best, when selling a show or breeding quality kitten, to make an honest evaluation of that kitten's quality, based on the kitten's age and development at the time of the sale. Cats with disqualifying faults should not be sold for show.

8.04

The breeder should inform the buyer as to the proper veterinary care, diet, etc., of the animal being sold, especially when dealing with novice buyers.

8.05

It is recommended that the breeder retain the right of first refusal should the new owner decide to release the cat/s at some future date. This helps ensure that the cat will find a home.

8.06

All kittens must be sold with a pedigree, vaccination certificate, registration papers and a feeding/advice sheet. Any withholding of the registration papers must be agreed in writing by breeder and purchaser at the time of sale.

8.07

It is recommended to members that all agreements made among themselves, with regard to buying and selling animals, stud fees, etc., be put in writing for the protection of both parties.

8.08

In the case of cats and kittens sold as pets, buyers and sellers should have a clear understanding, in writing, that the animal will be neutered.

8.09

It is recommended that only show and breeding quality cats be kept entire, and that animals who are clearly pet quality be neutered. Kittens should be immunized against rhinotracheitis, panleucopenia, and calici virus before being sold. Buyer should be given accurate data on whatever shots have been given.

8.10

A breeder should not knowingly sell a kitten that has ringworm, ear mites or parasites. A breeder should not knowingly sell a kitten that is showing clinical symptoms, or a positive test, for a serious disease at the time.

8.11

It is recommended that the buyer have the new cat or kitten thoroughly examined by his/her own veterinarian within a maximum of 5 days of taking possession of the animal.     The breeder shall not be made liable for any health problems that the cat or kitten contracts in the new owner's home or cattery.

8.12

Both buyer and seller should familiarize themselves with the strict regulations that govern the shipping of live animals, and they should adhere to these regulations to the letter. It is recommended that the kittens not be shipped by air until at least thirteen (13) weeks of age. If the carrier violates any regulation, the shipper should report the violations to the authorities immediately, to ensure that all carriers treat animals humanely.

8.13

Breeders should consider the health and welfare of their animals at all times. Catteries should be kept clean. Adequate health and veterinary care should be provided. Animals should not be overcrowded.

It is strongly recommended that all catteries should be veterinary inspected for good husbandry, hygiene and sufficient space for either adults and/or the raising of kittens.

Any breeder who can provide a proven certificate of veterinary inspection shall be identified by an asterix on the web breeder list.

8.14

A breeder should not knowingly offer at stud a male that has a serious infectious or contagious disease. Likewise, a breeder should not send out for stud service a female that has a serious infectious or contagious disease.

8.15

Members should not agent cats to shows if they are aware of a serious health problem of a contagious nature in their own cattery, and, if they would be taking their own cats to shows along with agented cats.

8.16

Any genetic defects suspected in member cats will be thoroughly investigated and if found to have standing then that cat will not be used for breeding purposes and any breeders who may own progeny of that cat duly notified.

8.17

A member should refrain from attending cat shows if there is any serious health problem of a contagious nature in their cattery whose treatment is not yet complete by the date of a given show. In particular, a member should not knowingly show any cat that is a carrier of a serious contagious disease.

8.18

Members should not show cats that have given ample proof of their unmanageability in the show ring. It is recommended that cats with bad dispositions not be used for breeding.

8.19

In case of death, a breeder should make provision for the care and welfare of his or her animals in a last will and testament. The cat owner should also make provision for the transfer of their legal and registered ownership to a responsible living person, in case of death. It is recommended that every cattery provide for the accurate identification of all cats in it, by microchip or other means.

8.20

Competition among breeders in the show ring should be friendly and gracious.

8.21

Breeders and owners shall not falsify registration or pedigrees in any way whatsoever.

8.22

Breeders shall not publish dishonest or fraudulent advertising of their catteries or cats.

8.23

No member must bring the Guild into disrepute.

8.24

All cats must be registered with a recognised organisation, some of which must be with a FIFe organisation, unless in the case of overseas members where there is no FIFe club in the country.

8.25

All breeder members agree to show at least one of their cats/kittens at least once in a 12 month timescale (i.e. a period of greater than 12 months [365 days] cannot be exceeded between shows) with FB or any other FIFe member country. 
Exemption from this rule can be applied for to the Committee using the Show Exemption form (see Appendix 3). All Committee decisions will be final.

8.26

All Breeder Members must register all of their cats/kittens with a recognised registration body, all kittens to be declared with FIFe.

8.27

It is not allowed to sell or to hand over cats with FIFe pedigrees to pet shops or similar organisations nor for any experimental research or testing. It is also not allowed for members of FIFe clubs to offer/trade cats or services, such as stud service, by auction or similar actions, be it on electronic or real events.

Article 9

Rule Amendments

9.01

The MAINE COON GUILD rules shall be amended by a resolution passed by a  majority of members present at any General Meeting at which notice of the proposed amendment shall have been given.

9.02

A master copy of the rules in hardcopy format will be held by the Honorary Secretary.
The management of the rules will be as per the procedures outlined in Appendix 4.

Article 10

Amalgamation or Winding Up

10.01

 A motion for the winding-up of the Club or for amalgamation with another Club must be included on the Agenda of a General Meeting. The motion shall be carried if those present and voting (abstentions are not counted) agree to wind up or amalgamate the Club by a two-thirds majority.

10.02

Final disposal of the Club's assets, other than assets received for cat welfare, shall be determined at this General Meeting, and be approved by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting.

10.03

Assets including monies received by the Club for cat welfare shall be donated to a dedicated fund or funds for domestic cat welfare, as agreed at this General Meeting and approved by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting.