HERITAGE AMERICAN BULLDOG CLUB OF AMERICA
CONSTITUTION
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ARTICLE I
Name and Objectives
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SECTION 1. The name of the club shall be Heritage American Bulldog Club of America
SECTION 2. The objective of the club is the preservation of the American Bulldog breed through the following:
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a) encourage and promote quality in the breeding of purebred American Bulldogs and to do all possible to bring their natural qualities to perfection;
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b) urge members and breeders to accept the standard of the breed as approved by the American Kennel Club as the only standard of excellence by
which America Bulldogs shall be judged;
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c) educate the general public and American Bulldog enthusiasts about the proper structure, training, care, and utilization of the American Bulldogs as
a working breed;
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d) protect and advance the interests of the breed by requiring sportsmanlike conduct and competition at all events held under the American Kennel
Club Rules and Regulations and any other Heritage American Bulldog Club of America sponsored activity or function.
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SECTION 3. The Heritage American Bulldog Club of America shall not be conducted or operated for profit and no part of any profits or remainder or
residue from dues or donations to the club shall inure to the benefit of any member or individual.
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SECTION 4. The members of the club shall adopt and may from time to time revise such bylaws as may be required to carry out these objectives.
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BYLAWS
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ARTICLE I
Membership
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SECTION 1. Eligibility. There shall be five (5) types of membership open to all persons 18 years of age and older who are in good standing with The American Kennel Club and who agree with the objectives of the Heritage American Bulldog Club of America. A person considered to be in good standing with the with the Heritage American Bulldog Club of America is defined as a member whose account is current, with no outstanding debt to the club and who is not the subject of any active disciplinary action or investigation.
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a) Regular (Individual) Membership: Enjoys all club privileges including the right to vote and hold office.
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b) Household (Family) Membership: Two (2) adult members residing in the same household, each eligible
to vote and hold office.
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c) Junior membership: Open to children under the age of 18; a non-voting, non-office holding membership which may automatically convert to a
regular membership at the age of 18.
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d) Honorary Lifetime Membership: An Individual that has made significant contributions to the American Bulldog breed or the club. Honorary
Lifetime memberships can be granted to individuals who, after being nominated by a member and being approved by the Board, garner a
2/3 vote of the general membership. Honorary Lifetime members pay no dues and are afforded all club privileges except for the right to vote or
hold office. An Honorary Lifetime member can also maintain a “Regular” membership upon paying dues thus granting them the right to vote
and hold office.
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e) Associate Membership: For those individuals new to the Sport of Dogs, at least 18 years of age and who are interested in advancing their
knowledge of dogs. Associate members do not pay dues but are entitled to all club privileges except voting or holding office.
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SECTION 2. Dues. Membership dues shall not exceed $30.00 per year, or $50.00 per Household. Dues statements shall be distributed via standard
mail or electronic correspondence no earlier than the 1st day and no later than the 15th day of December. Dues are payable on or before the 1st day of January of each calendar year. Dues shall be prorated to be commensurate with the number of months the membership
encompasses in its inaugural year. Dues become delinquent on the 2nd day of January and at that time, shall be assessed a $2.00 late fee.
Should a member’s dues become delinquent, that members voting rights are immediately suspended. The members voting rights shall be
reinstated upon payment in full of dues and any associated penalties and fees.
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SECTION 3. Election to Membership. Each applicant for membership shall apply on a form as approved by the Board of Directors and which shall
provide that the applicant agrees to abide by the constitution and bylaws and the rules of The American Kennel Club. The application shall
state the name, address, and occupation of the applicant and it shall carry the endorsement of two members in good standing.
Accompanying the application, the prospective member shall submit dues payment for the current year. The applicant’s payment will be
immediately deposited upon receipt. Should the application for membership be denied, the payment will be refunded to the applicant
minus a $2.00 administrative fee. All applications are to be filed with the Secretary and each application is to be read at the first meeting
of the club following its receipt. A special meeting can be called for the purposes of approving membership applications. After reading of
the application and discussion, a motion may be made to vote on the application. Should the motion be seconded a vote can be taken on
the application. Should a motion be made and seconded to defer or postpone a vote on membership, the vote will be added to the agend
a for the next regular meeting of the club or special meeting called for the purpose of approving membership. Approval of applications
require an affirmative vote of 2∕3 of the members present. Applicants for membership who have been rejected by the club may not
reapply within six months after such rejection.
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SECTION 4. Termination of Membership. Memberships may be terminated:
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a) by resignation. Any member in good standing may resign from the club upon notice to the Secretary submitted electronically to the clubs
designated email address or in writing to the club’s primary address. If a member resigns while in debt to the club, the club reserves the right to
be made whole using any legal avenues approved by the board. In addition to the amount in arrears, the club may pursue reimbursement for other
costs including, but not limited to, postage, clerical, legal and other costs incurred while attempted to recover funds owed to the club.
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b) by lapsing. A membership will be considered as lapsed and automatically terminated if such member’s dues remain unpaid for 90 days after the
1st day of January; however, the board may grant an additional 30 days of grace to such delinquent members in meritorious cases. In no instance
shall a member delinquent in dues or any way in debt to the club be allowed to cast a vote on any matter of club business.
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c) by expulsion. A membership may be terminated by expulsion as provided in Article VI, Section 4 of these bylaws.
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ARTICLE II
Meetings and Voting
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SECTION 1. Club Meetings. Meetings of the club shall be held either in person, via telephone conference or video conference biannually at such hour
and place may be designated by the Board of Directors. Written or electronic notice of each such meeting, as well as an electronic copy of
the previous meetings minutes, shall be sent by the Secretary at least ten (10) days prior to the date of the meeting. The quorum for such
meetings shall be 40 percent of the members in good standing.
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SECTION 2. Special Club Meetings. Special club meetings may be called if any of the criteria are met:
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a) A special meeting called by the President to address club time sensitive club business or business which should be conducted immediately in the
best interest of the club.
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b) A special meeting called by request of three or more members of the board
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c) A special meeting called by the secretary in response to the receipt of a petition signed by at least five
members of the club in good standing. All special meetings shall be held either in person, via telephone conference or video conference at such
place, date and hour as may be designated by the person or persons authorized herein to call such meetings. Notice of such a meeting shall be
sent by the Secretary in written or electronic form at least five (5) days prior to the date of the meeting and said notice shall state the purpose of
the meeting. No other club business will be transacted at special club meetings. The quorum for special club meetings shall be 40 percent of the
members in good standing.
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SECTION 3. Board Meetings. Meetings of the board of directors shall be held quarterly either in person, via telephone conference call or via video
conference at such hour and place as may be designated by the board. Notice of each such meeting shall be sent by the Secretary in
written or electronic form at least ten (10) days prior to the date of the meeting. The quorum for board meetings shall be a majority of the
board.
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SECTION 4. Special Board Meetings. Special meetings of the board may be called by the President; and shall be called by the Secretary upon receipt of
a written or electronic request signed by at least three members of the board. Such special meetings shall be held either in person, via
telephone conference call or via video conference at such place, date, and hour as may be designated by the person authorized herein to
call such meeting. Notice of such a meeting shall be sent by the Secretary in written or electronic form at least one (1) day prior to the
date of the meeting. Any such notice shall state the purpose of the meeting. No other club business will be transacted at special club
meetings. The quorum for special board meetings shall be a majority of the board.
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SECTION 5. Voting. Each member in good standing whose account is current and who is not the subject of any active disciplinary action or
investigation shall be entitled to one vote at any meeting of the club at which he is present. Proxy voting is not permitted under any
circumstance.
ARTICLE III
Directors and Officers
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SECTION 1. Board of Directors. The board shall be comprised of the officers, enumerated in section 2, and three additional persons. Any candidate for
a seat on the board of directors must be a member in good standing with no outstanding debt to the club and must have been present at
the previous years annual meeting. The members of the board of directors shall be elected for two-year terms at the club’s annual
meeting as provided in Article IV and shall serve until the next general election. General management of the club’s affairs shall
be entrusted to the board of directors.
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SECTION 2. Officers. The club’s officers, consisting of the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer, shall serve in their respective capacities
for both board meetings and meetings of the general membership.
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a) The President shall preside at all meetings of the club, both board and general membership. The President shall be afforded all powers normally appurtenant to the office of President in addition to those powers and responsibilities specified in these bylaws.
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b) The Vice President, in the event of the President’s death, absence or incapacity, shall assume all of the powers and responsibilities afforded the President.
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c) The Secretary shall keep a record of all meetings of the club, both board and general membership, and shall also maintain a record of any other items, actions, meeting, etc. as ordered by the board. The secretary shall have charge of all club correspondence including but not limited to: meeting notifications, notifications to approved members, notification of application declination, notification of election outcomes, and management of a complete and current club roster to be distributed annually. In addition, when asked to by the treasurer, the secretary may be r responsible for the distribution of dues notices, delinquent notices, requests for payment, and any other duties as are prescribed in these bylaws.
d) The Treasurer shall receive all monies due or belonging to the club. Monies shall be deposited in a bank designated by the board, in the name of the club. A complete accounting of the clubs finances shall be available to the board at any time including, but not limited to: cash on hand, receivables, sub-accounts, and undeposited funds. The treasurer shall provide a written report to the secretary before every meeting to be included with the agenda. At each meeting, the treasurer will present their report on the club’s finances. The treasurer shall also be responsible for creation of a budget for the club which will be adopted at each annual meeting. The Treasurer shall be bonded in an amount to be determined by the board.
e) The offices of Secretary and Treasurer may be held by the same person.
SECTION 3. Expulsion from the Board. If a board member is absent from any three-consecutive meetings or should become unavailable by normal and customary means for a 45-day period or more, that board member becomes eligible for expulsion from the board. Votes on expulsion may be taken at any regularly scheduled board meeting or a special board meeting called for the purpose of holding such vote. A majority vote of the Board in favor of expulsion shall result in the immediate removal of that member from their position. The vacancy created as a result of any expulsion shall be filled according to the procedure outlined in Section 4 of this same Article.
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SECTION 4. Vacancies. Any vacancies occurring on the board or among the offices during the year, and in advance of the annual meeting, shall be filled in the interim by appointment of the board of directors after a majority vote. This action of the board shall take place at the boards first regularly scheduled meeting after the vacancy occurs or at a special meeting called for that purpose; except that a vacancy in the office of President shall be filled automatically by the Vice President and the resulting vacancy in the office of Vice President shall be filled by the board.
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ARTICLE IV
The Club Year, Annual Meeting, Elections
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SECTION 1. Club Year. The club’s fiscal year shall begin on the first day of January and end on the last day of December. The club’s official year shall begin immediately at the conclusion of the annual meeting and shall continue through to the conclusion of the next annual meeting.
SECTION 2. Annual Meeting. The annual meeting shall be held at a date and time to be determined by the current Board of Directors. At the annual which takes place during an election year, officers and directors for the ensuing year shall be elected from among those nominated in accordance with Section 4 of this Article. Those elected shall take office immediately upon the conclusion of the election and each retiring officer shall turn over to the successor in office all properties and records relating to that office within 30 days after the election.
SECTION 3. Elections. The nominated candidate receiving the greatest number of votes for each office shall be declared elected. The three nominated candidates for other positions on the board who receive the greatest number of votes for such positions shall be declared elected. Proxy voting will not be permitted.
SECTION 4. Nominations. No person may be a candidate in a club election who has not been nominated or who is not in good standing. In election years, during the month of October, the board shall select a Nominating Committee consisting of three members and two alternates, not more than one of whom may be a member of the board. The Secretary shall immediately notify the committeemen and alternates of their selection. The board shall name a chairman for the committee and it shall be such person’s duty to call a committee meeting, which shall be held in November, prior to the Annual Meeting.
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a) The committee shall nominate one candidate for each office and positions on the board and, after securing the consent of each person so nominated, shall immediately report their nominations to the Secretary in writing or electronically. These nominations must be submitted to the Secretary no later than the 1st day of December of an election year.
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b) Upon receipt of the Nominating Committee’s report, the Secretary shall, at least Two (2) weeks prior to the annual meeting in an election year, provide all members of the club, in writing or electronically, a list of the candidates who have been nominated and placed on the ballot.
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c) Additional nominations may be made at the Annual Meeting during an election year by any member in attendance who is in good standing. Any such nomination must be accepted before the candidate can be place on the ballot. In the event that the proposed candidate is not in attendance at this meeting, the proposer shall present to the Secretary a written statement from the proposed candidate signifying willingness to be a candidate. No person may be a candidate for more than one position unless that person is a candidate for the positions of secretary and treasurer as outlined in Article III, Section 2 (e).
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ARTICLE V
Committees
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SECTION 1. The board may each year appoint standing committees to advance the work of the club in such matters as dog shows, obedience trials, trophies, annual prizes, membership, and other fields which may well be served by committees. Such committees shall always be subject to the final authority of the board. Special committees may also be appointed by the board to aid it on particular projects.
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SECTION 2. Any committee appointment may be terminated by a majority vote of the board upon written or electronic notice to the appointee; and the board may appoint successors to those persons whose services have been terminated.
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ARTICLE VI
Discipline
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SECTION 1. American Kennel Club Suspension. Any member who is suspended from all the privileges of The American Kennel Club automatically shall be suspended from the privileges of the Heritage American Bulldog Club of America for the same duration of their suspension for the American Kennel Club.
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SECTION 2. Charges. An individual member may prefer charges against another individual member for alleged misconduct prejudicial to the best interests of the club. Written charges with specifications must be filed in duplicate with the Secretary together with a deposit of $50.00, which shall be forfeited if such charges are not sustained by the board following a hearing. Upon receipt, the Secretary shall forward a copy of the charges to each member of the board, or, present them at a board meeting. Upon receipt of the charges, the board shall first consider whether the actions alleged in the charges, if proven, might constitute conduct prejudicial to the best interests of the club. If the board considers that the charges do not allege conduct which would be prejudicial to the best interests of the club, it may refuse to entertain jurisdiction. If the board entertains jurisdiction of the charges, it shall fix a date for a hearing by the board not less than three weeks nor more than six weeks thereafter. The Secretary shall forward one copy of the charges and the specifications to the accused member by registered mail together with a notice of the hearing and an assurance that the defendant may personally appear in his own defense and bring witnesses if he wishes.
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SECTION 3. Board Hearing. The board shall have complete authority to decide whether counsel may attend the hearing, but both complainant and defendant shall be treated uniformly in that regard. Should the charges be sustained after hearing all the evidence and testimony presented by complainant and defendant, the board may by a majority vote of those present reprimand or suspend the defendant from all privileges of the club for not more than six months from the date of the hearing. And, if it deems that punishment insufficient, it may also recommend to the membership that the penalty be expulsion. In such case, the defendant will be suspended from the club pending the vote on expulsion. Suspension shall not restrict the defendant’s right to appear before his fellow members at the ensuing club meeting which considers the board’s recommendation. Immediately after the board has reached a decision, its finding shall be put in written form and filed with the Secretary. The Secretary, in turn, shall notify each of the parties of the board’s decision and penalty, if any.
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SECTION 4. Expulsion. Expulsion of a member from the club may be accomplished only at a meeting of the club following a board hearing and upon the board’s recommendation as provided in Section 3 of this Article. Such proceedings may occur at a regular or special meeting of the club to be held within 60 days but not earlier than 30 days after the date of the board’s recommendation of expulsion. The defendant shall have the privilege of appearing in his own behalf, though no evidence shall be taken at this meeting. The President shall read the charges and the board’s finding and recommendation, and shall invite the defendant, if present, to speak in his own behalf if he wishes. The members shall then vote by on the proposedexpulsion. The board may choose to employ a secret ballot for this vote. A 2∕3 vote of those present and voting at the meeting shall be necessary for expulsion. If expulsion is not so voted, the board’s suspension shall stand.
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ARTICLE VII
Amendments
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SECTION 1. Amendments to the constitution and bylaws may be proposed by the board of directors or by written petition, submitted electronically or by mail, addressed to the Secretary signed by 40 percent of the membership in good standing. Amendments proposed by such petition shall be promptly considered by the board of directors and must be distributed to the members. The Amendments shall be distributed electronically or by mail, accompanied by the recommendations of the board, by the Secretary for a vote within three months of the date when the petition was received by the Secretary.
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SECTION 2. The constitution and bylaws may be amended by a 2∕3 vote of the members present and voting at any regular meeting or special meeting called for the purpose, provided the proposed amendments have been included in the notice of the meeting and provided to each member at least two weeks prior to the date of the meeting.
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SECTION 3. No amendment to the constitution bylaws that is adopted by the club shall become effective until it has been approved by the Board of Directors of The American Kennel Club
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ARTICLE VIII
Dissolution
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SECTION 1. The club may be dissolved at any time by the written consent of not less than 2∕3 of the members in good standing. In the event of the dissolution of the club other than for purposes of reorganization whether voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law, none of the property of the club nor any proceeds thereof nor any assets of the club shall be distributed to any members of the club, but after payment of the debts of the club its property and assets shall be given to a charitable organization for the benefit of dogs selected by the board of directors.
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ARTICLE IX
Order of Business
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SECTION 1. At meetings of the club, the order of business, so far as the character and nature of the meeting may permit, shall be as follows: Call to Order, Pledge of Allegiance, Roll Call, Reading of minutes of the last meeting , Report of President, Report of Secretary, Report of Treasurer, Reports of committees, Election of officers and board (at annual meeting), Election of new members, Unfinished business, New business, Adjournment.
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SECTION 2. At meetings of the board, the order of business, unless otherwise directed by majority vote of those present, shall be as follows: Call to Order, Pledge of Allegiance Reading of minutes of last meeting, Report of President, Report of Secretary, Report of Treasurer, Reports of committees, Unfinished business, New business, Adjournment
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ARTICLE X
Parliamentary Authority
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SECTION 1. The rules contained in the current edition of “Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised,” shall govern the club in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any other special rules of order the club may adopt.
ARTICLE XI
American Bulldog Standards
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SECTION 1. Any proposed changes to the American Bulldog Standard will be presented to the Board of Directors by the Standards Committee. A 2∕3 vote of club members in good standing shall be necessary for changes to the Standard. Proxy voting will not be permitted.
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