Yorkshire Rat Club
Constitution
Club Rules
Show Rules
from: Revision 8 · 02 dated 21st April 2005
Yorkshire Rat Club Constitution and Rules
Constitution
Title
* The Club shall be named the Yorkshire Rat Club.
Objectives
* To provide a regular club meeting place and show venue in Yorkshire,
and attend other venues where appropriate.
* To promote the fancy rat as a show animal and a pet.
* To represent rat owners in the Yorkshire region and to provide advice
on rat-
* To encourage and assist the new and / or novice rat owner, both in competition
and breeding.
Club Rules
1. The Club will be administered by a Committee. The Committee will
consist of 9 elected members, as outlined.
President
Chairman
Vice-
Honorary Secretary / Treasurer
Membership Secretary
Show Secretary
Committee Member
Committee Member
Committee Member
All committee posts to be elected annually.
The Committee may additionally appoint officers to the following roles:
Journal Editor, Website Manager, Catering Manager, Archivist, Publicity Officer
Appointees may be drawn from the Committee and wider membership.
They may attend Committee meetings and shall have voting status.
2. If a committee post becomes vacant, the Committee can co-
to fill that post until the next AGM. This will be reported in the club newsletter.
3. No committee member should hold an identical or similar role on another
committee of a similar organisation
4. Proposals and amendments to the Constitution and Rules of the Club can be made
at an Annual General Meeting (AGM), or at an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).
5. An EGM may be called by at least 25% of the total Adult membership ( or a majority of
the Committee), who shall sign a petition stating their proposals and shall send this to the
Chairman and Hon Secretary. The EGM must be held at the next show or the one after.
6. The Hon Secretary will circulate details of an EGM and the proposals to all members, at
least fourteen days before its date.
7. For any proposal at an AGM or EGM to be carried, a majority of the votes cast must be in
favour. Each proposal will be voted on separately. Only fully paid-
vote at an AGM or EGM.
8. There shall be four grades of membership, namely: life (awarded by an AGM),
Adult, Family, Concessionary. Junior members are designated as those under
16 years of age. Subscription rates will be reviewed by the Committee and submitted
to the AGM for ratification.
9. Membership of the Club shall be open to all who are in sympathy with the aims of the Club.
Any member aged 16 or over can vote at an AGM and EGM and stand for election to the
Committee, having been proposed and seconded.
10. Payment of the subscription is deemed to constitute acceptance of the Rules.
11. a) All complaints relating to incidents occurring at a YRC event should be made to either
the YRC Liaison Officer or other Committee Member at the event, or to the Hon Sec IN WRITING
as soon as possible after the incident. The Hon Sec will reply as soon as is reasonably
practical. No other forms of complaint will be considered.
b) The Committee expects those complaining to do so in a courteous manner, without
publicly discussing the issue until the Committee has fully investigated the complaint.
c) Should the Committee receive a complaint about any matter not occurring at a YRC event,
but involving a YRC member(s), then the Committee shall consider nature of the complaint
and examine all available information.
d) If it is felt that the member(s) actions are injurious to the aims and objectives of the YRC or
have brought the YRC into disrepute, then the Committee will take such action as deemed
appropriate, including suspension or expulsion from the Club.
e) If a grievance or complaint is brought to the Committee, or a member's conduct is in direct
conflict with the Club's rules or objectives, the committee will meet to discuss the issue. A
two-
been made may present their case to the Committee and have another member present for
support.
f) Any member excluded or suspended from the Club shall have the length of their exclusion
or suspension made clear.
12. A list of membership information will be held by the Committee and Newsletter Editor. Access
to this information will be controlled by the Committee to ensure its use is only for Club
matters.
13. The Committee will meet at least twice a year. Any committee member may call a meeting if an important matter arises. At least five Committee members must be present to constitute a quorum. Business can also be conducted by telephone or email, and voting will be recorded and be as binding as at a meeting. Arising out of Club affairs, the Committee shall have the power to decide any matter or arbitrate in any dispute not provided for in these rules.
14. The Hon Secretary (or the person taking the minutes in their absence) must submit a summary
of each committee meeting to the club newsletter. Copies of the minutes and the club accounts
shall be available to members at reasonable notice.
15. The Hon Treasurer will keep written accounts of income and expenditure, a summary of which
will be submitted at each committee meeting. The accounts will be annually audited by an
agreed impartial person before each AGM.
16. Receipts or other evidence of expenditure must be supplied where reimbursement is required, and claims must usually be made to the Hon Treasurer within three months. No expenditure over £50 will be made on behalf of the Club unless first agreed by the Committee.
Show Rules
1. The varieties and pet classes will be judged in accordance with the National Fancy Rat Society (NFRS) Show Schedule. Variety classes will be judged using the NFRS standards of excellence.
2. An entry fee shall be charged for each exhibit in accordance with the current rates set by the Committee. The entry fees will be subject to review by the rates set by the Committee. The entry fees will be subject to review by the Committee and shall be submitted for confirmation to the AGM.
3. All YRC shows are Table Shows i.e for YRC members only. Non-
4. Proxy entries may be accepted at the Show Secretary's discretion .
5. The Show Secretary shall have discretion as to whether to accept multiple entries from individual member(s), subject to any limits currently imposed by the Committee.
6. Rats shall be exhibited in plastic tanks such as those used by the NFRS or similar tanks, not less than 11 litres capacity. Wire mesh lids are preferred, but plastic lids are acceptable.
7. A maximum of two easily distinguishable rats of the same sex (except adult bucks) may be exhibited per show tank.
8. Rats can be shown on any litter /bedding provided it is safe and clean.
9. No more than five centimetres of any bedding will be allowed in each show tank.
10. All rats must have a source of moisture in their show tank.
11. Each exhibitor is asked to check their rats' health prior to the show.
12. Health checks will be performed during the show to ensure no ill health has been overlooked.
13. Rats found to have active infestations or obvious signs of ill health will be disqualified.
14. Members must notify the Show Secretary before the show date if they intend to sell rats.
The Show Secretary has the absolute discretion to limit the number of sellers and the number
of rats for sale. The Club can accept no liability for any problems resulting from any sale.
15. Rats for sale must be between six and thirteen weeks old. Rats that appear to be
younger may not be allowed to be sold. Older rats and those not bred by the Seller
may be sold only by special arrangement . The health of each rat must be checked by
checked by a committee member before being advertised for sale. If any suspected
health problems are found, the kittens may be withdrawn from sale.
Only members may sell rats. At the time of the sale sellers must give the new owner
their name and postal address along with the rat's date of birth.
A committee representative will supervise the sale and the welfare of the kittens.
16. The YRC committee reserves the right to refuse admittance to any rat to the show hall.
updated 14th February 2008