Statute

STATUTE

Chapter I. General Provisions.

§1.

The association is called Rodent Club PL, hereinafter referred to as the Association.

§2.

The Association operates based on the applicable law on associations (Journal of Laws of 2017, item 210) and as such has legal personality.

§3.

The area of activity of the Association is the territory of the Republic of Poland. To properly achieve its goals, the Association may operate outside the country's borders.

§4.

The registered office of the Association's Authorities is the capital city of Warsaw in Poland.

§5.

The Association cooperates with domestic, foreign, and international organizations and institutions with the same or similar profile of activity and may become a member of these organizations.

§6.

The Association has the right to use its own badges, seals, membership cards, electronic signatures, and other identification means approved by a resolution of the Board.

§7.

The Association bases its activities on the voluntary work of its members, and if necessary, may hire employees or use service companies to manage its affairs. Any member of the Association may become an employee provided they have the appropriate qualifications and at least 2/3 of the General Assembly agrees.

Chapter II. Goals and principles of the Association's activities.

§8.

The Association brings together rodent enthusiasts and people interested in their responsible breeding.

§9.

The goal of the Association is the development and promotion of responsible care and breeding of rodents, with particular emphasis on health and welfare issues, based on knowledge and scientific foundations.

§10.

The Association will achieve its goals through:

§10.1.

The activities specified in §10 of this statute are financed from the Association's funds.

§11.

To ensure a professional level of conducted activities, the Association may establish sections as specialized functional and organizational units dealing with specific areas of the Association's activities. Sections are established, reorganized, and dissolved by a resolution of the Board. The tasks of a section and the principles of its operation are defined by the section's regulations adopted by the Board.

§12.

Sections do not have legal personality and operate only within the Association, but they may use their own name alongside the Association's name.

§13.

A section is managed by a chairman. The chairman of the section is appointed by the Board.

Chapter III. Members of the Association, their rights and obligations.

§14.

Members of the Association may be natural or legal persons. A legal person can only be a supporting member of the Association. A member of the Association may belong to other organizations with the same type of activity under the rules specified in the Association's internal regulations. They are obliged to notify the Board of this fact within no more than 5 business days.

§15.

The admission of new members is decided by the Board by a resolution within 21 days of submitting a written declaration.

§16.

Members of the Association are divided into: Regular, Youth, Supporting, Honorary, and Foreign.

§17.

A regular member may be a natural person with full legal capacity who is a Polish citizen. A person becomes a regular member after submitting a written declaration signed by themselves and paying the applicable fees, committing to abide by the statute.

§18.

A youth member may be a minor who is a Polish citizen, with limited legal capacity, between 16 and 18 years of age. A person becomes a youth member after submitting a written declaration signed by themselves and their legal guardian and paying the applicable fees, committing to abide by the statute.

§19.

A supporting member may be a natural or legal person interested in the substantive activities of the Association and accepting its goals, after declaring assistance and being admitted by the Board based on a written declaration.

§20.

An honorary member of the Association may be a natural person particularly meritorious in achieving the statutory goals of the Association. Honorary membership is granted by the Board.

§21.

A foreign member may be a natural person with full legal capacity who is a citizen of a European country. A person becomes a foreign member after submitting a written declaration signed by themselves and paying the applicable fees, committing to abide by the statute.

§22.

A regular member has the right to: elect and be elected to the authorities of the Association, submit motions and proposals regarding the activities of the Association, use the assistance and facilities of the Association in activities consistent with its statutory goals, participate in meetings, lectures, and events organized by the Association.

§23.

A regular member is obliged to: comply with the statute, regulations, and resolutions of the Association's authorities, regularly pay membership fees and charges to the Association, actively participate in the work of the Association and pursue its statutory goals, care for the property and good name of the Association.

§24.

A youth member has the right to: breed rodents only under conditions specified in the Association's regulations, pay half of the membership fee, submit motions and proposals regarding the activities of the Association, use the assistance and facilities of the Association in activities consistent with its statutory goals, participate in meetings, lectures, and events organized by the Association.

§24.1.

A youth member is obliged to: comply with the statute, regulations, and resolutions of the Association's authorities, regularly pay membership fees and charges to the Association, actively participate in the work of the Association and pursue its statutory goals, care for the property and good name of the Association.

§25.

A supporting member has the right to participate in the Association's work with an advisory vote, submit motions and proposals to the Association's authorities concerning the tasks undertaken by the Association, and is obliged to comply with the arrangements specified in the signed declaration.

§26.

An honorary member: has all the rights of a regular member and is exempt from membership contributions, has the right to participate in all events organized by the Association without paying fees, and is obliged to comply with the statute, regulations, and resolutions of the Association's authorities and to care for the property and good name of the Association.

§27.

A foreign member has the right to: elect and be elected to the authorities of the Association, submit motions and proposals regarding the activities of the Association, use the assistance and facilities of the Association in activities consistent with its statutory goals, participate in meetings, lectures, and events organized by the Association.

§28.

A foreign member is obliged to: comply with the statute, regulations, and resolutions of the Association's authorities, regularly pay membership fees and charges to the Association, actively participate in the work of the Association and pursue its statutory goals, care for the property and good name of the Association.

§29.

Members of the Association perform their entrusted functions free of charge, but may receive reimbursement for costs incurred when carrying out tasks on behalf of the Association outside their place of residence.

§30.

Removal from the list of members of the Association occurs due to: voluntary resignation from membership submitted in writing to the Board, after settling all obligations towards the Association, death of a member, resolution of the Disciplinary Court due to: non-payment of membership fees, failure to comply with the provisions of the statute, regulations, and resolutions of the Association, acting to the detriment of the Association, loss of legal personality by a supporting member.

Chapter IV. Authorities of the Association.

§32.

The Authorities of the Association are:

The authorities manage the activities of the Association. The Association's authorities operate in accordance with generally applicable regulations, the provisions of the statute, and based on resolutions and regulations. The Association's authorities are elected by secret ballot. The term of office of the Association's authorities is 5 years. If the number of members of the Association's authorities decreases during the term, the Board may appoint persons to perform the duties of Board members. Declarations of intent on behalf of the Association, including financial matters, may be made by up to three Board members acting jointly.

§33.

The General Assembly of Members is the highest authority of the Association. Participants in the General Assembly of Members are: with a decisive vote – regular, foreign, honorary, and youth members, with an advisory vote – supporting members and invited guests. The General Assembly of Members may be ordinary or extraordinary.

§34.

The ordinary General Assembly of Members is convened by the Board annually, no later than March 30. Resolutions of the General Assembly of Members are passed by a simple majority of votes and are valid with the presence of at least half of those entitled to vote in the first term. If attendance at the General Assembly of Members is less than half, the General Assembly of Members convened in the second term may adopt resolutions regardless of the number of participants. In the event of a tie vote, the chairman of the meeting has the deciding vote.

§35.

The competence of the General Assembly of Members includes deciding on all matters of the Association, in particular: establishing general guidelines for the activities of the Association's authorities, adopting the statute of the Association and its amendments, adopting the regulations of the Association's authorities, adopting and approving reports and activity plans, considering proposals of the Board and motions submitted at the General Assembly of Members, considering and approving reports and motions of the Audit Committee and the Disciplinary Court, determining the amount of the membership fee and entry fee, electing members of the Board, Audit Committee, and Disciplinary Court.

§36.

The Board notifies members of the date of the General Assembly of Members together with the proposed agenda by letter or electronically, at least 14 days before the start of the General Assembly of Members.

§37.

An extraordinary General Assembly of Members is convened at the request of the Board, the Audit Committee, or at the request signed by at least 1/3 of the members, within one month from the date of submission of the request.

§38.

The Board is the executive body of the General Assembly of Members and is accountable to it for its activities.

§39.

The Board consists of five persons and is elected by the General Assembly of Members.

§40.

The Board meets as needed, but at least once every 3 months. Resolutions of the Board are adopted by a simple majority of votes...

§41.

The Board represents the Association externally and manages its current activities.

§42.

The Board appoints and dismisses the President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Members of the Board from among its members.

§43.

The responsibilities of the Board include in particular:

§44.

The Audit Committee is a body controlling the activities of the Board, independent of it, and accountable only to the General Assembly of Members.

§45.

The Audit Committee consists of 3 members elected by the General Assembly of Members.

§46.

The Audit Committee performs audits at least once a year. The results of the audits are presented to the General Assembly of Members in the form of reports and motions for granting or refusing discharge to the Board.

§47.

The Disciplinary Court is the body adjudicating disputes and violations of the statute or internal regulations of the Association by its members.

§48.

The Disciplinary Court consists of 3 members elected by the General Assembly of Members.

§49.

The Disciplinary Court adjudicates in the following cases:

§50.

The Disciplinary Court may impose the following penalties:

Chapter V. Property and funds of the Association.

§51.

The property of the Association consists of real estate, movable property, and funds.

§52.

The sources of the Association's funds are:

§53.

The Board manages the property and funds of the Association in accordance with applicable regulations and the Association's budget adopted annually by the General Assembly of Members.

§54.

The Association may conduct economic activities, and the income from these activities is allocated exclusively to the statutory purposes of the Association and may not be divided among its members.

Chapter VI. Final provisions.

§55.

A resolution of the General Assembly of Members adopted by a majority of at least 2/3 of votes in the presence of at least half of the entitled members is required to amend the statute.

§56.

The dissolution of the Association requires a resolution of the General Assembly of Members adopted by a majority of at least 2/3 of votes, with at least half of the entitled members present. In the event of the dissolution of the Association, the General Assembly of Members decides on the liquidation of its assets and the appointment of liquidators.

§57.

The statute enters into force on the date of its adoption by the General Assembly of Members.

Organizational Regulations of Rodent Club PL

§ 1

The Board of Rodent Club PL, hereinafter referred to as RCPL, enacts these regulations to be followed by all members of the Association.

§ 2

All members of RCPL are required to comply with the provisions of these Regulations, RCPL’s breeding and exhibition rules, breeding regulations and guidelines of the respective RCPL sections, as well as the applicable Animal Protection Act in force in the Republic of Poland. Additionally all breeders are obliged to follow Requirements and Expectations for Registered Breeders.

§ 3

Caring for the health and proper welfare of every rodent is the primary duty of every RCPL rodent keeper and breeder.

§ 4

Rodents must have access to ongoing veterinary care. Sick rodents must be provided with veterinary care immediately.

All measures must be taken to prevent the spread of viral, bacterial, and fungal diseases, such as quarantining new animals entering the household or conducting regular veterinary checks.

External and internal parasites cannot always be avoided, especially in large groups, therefore all rodents must be regularly examined for parasites and treated accordingly. The RCPL Board recommends weekly fur checks for external parasites and fecal tests every six months for internal parasites.

§ 5

Rooms where rodents are kept, their cages or other enclosures, as well as all other accessories, must always be kept clean.

§ 6

Rodents must have adequate ventilation in the rooms where they are kept (windows, doors, air conditioning) to minimize unpleasant odors, humidity, and drafts.

§ 7

Rodents must have constant access to bowls or water bottles with fresh water and proper food in appropriate amounts. Their cages or enclosures should be well arranged and equipped to allow exploration, play, and rest.

§ 8

Rodents must have sufficient space for free movement and play to ensure a good quality of life in home conditions.

§ 9

Every rodent must receive daily attention, including regular health checks.

§ 10

It is forbidden to sell or give away rodents with RCPL pedigrees/certificates to pet shops, feeder breeders, unrecognized breeders, or similar institutions, as well as to any organizations for experimental or testing purposes.

RCPL members and breeders are not allowed to trade rodents or services such as stud services via auctions or undertake similar actions, both electronically and directly.

§ 11

The RCPL Board will conduct at least one inspection per year at all breeders registered in the Association to check the conditions of bred rodents.

In the case of minor deficiencies, the breeder is given from 1 to 3 months to correct them, after which the inspection is repeated.

In the case of serious deficiencies, the breeding activity is suspended immediately, and the matter is referred to the Disciplinary Court. Information about the suspension is made public.

§ 12

A candidate for RCPL membership must send a personally signed, scanned membership declaration to the Association’s email address: rejestracja@klubgryzoni.pl

After filling out the membership form (available on the RCPL website) by the Association, a member of the Board or an authorized person sends a message with registration instructions.

The candidate then completes and sends the declaration and pays a non-refundable membership fee in the appropriate amount.

Next, a member of the Board or an authorized person conducts a short introductory conversation, which is an important element of the acceptance or rejection decision.

If any irregularities are found in the candidate’s breeding conditions, the Board may order them to be removed within 2 weeks.

The admission of new members to RCPL is made by a Board resolution within 21 days from the date of submission of the declaration.

The final confirmation of RCPL membership is the publication of the candidate’s information on the RCPL website.

An RCPL member may belong to foreign or domestic organizations with the same area of activity as RCPL. We recommend notifying the Board of this fact within no more than 2 weeks.

The RCPL Board agrees that a member may also have a registered kennel name and breeding activity in a foreign or domestic association. Therefore, the breeder is required to maintain double breeding records – for each organization. All animals must receive an RCPL pedigree; foreign owners may, upon request, receive a double version of the pedigree – one compliant with RCPL guidelines and the other with the guidelines of the foreign association.

Breeding by a youth member is possible only:

• with the written consent of a legal guardian,
• under the supervision of another breeder, an RCPL mentor.

§ 13

Sections are established by a Board resolution at the request of at least 3 members of the Association.

The head of the section is appointed by the RCPL Board.

Section heads may be part of the RCPL Board.

The section head is responsible for:

• preparing a document specifying the minimum requirements for the species the section intends to handle,
• preparing the breeding regulations for the given species,
• preparing the pedigree or certificate template,
• maintaining breeding documentation.

All documents listed in paragraph 3 must be prepared within 3 weeks of the Board’s resolution establishing the section. The Board adopts these documents by resolution as the official documents of the RCPL section.

§ 14

The duties and powers of the Board members include in particular:

• representing Rodent Club PL in Poland and abroad,
• managing the Board’s current work,
• establishing cooperation rules with external associations, foundations, and other institutions,
• drafting and announcing resolutions,
• supervising all legal matters concerning RCPL’s activities,
• promoting Rodent Club PL,
• overseeing the finances of Rodent Club PL,
• cooperating with the accounting office,
• controlling cash flows in the bank account,
• recovering overdue fees and payments,
• preparing the annual expenditure plan,
• fulfilling the duties of section heads,
• keeping registration and records of all sections’ breeding activities,
• supervising the breeding documentation of all sections,
• conducting or organizing breeder training,
• conducting or organizing breeder exams,
• supervising breeding regulations,
• organizing judge training and judge exams,
• organizing events promoting rodent breeding.

§ 15

These regulations come into force on 13.06.2017.