NFWS Constitution and Rules

1. To promote the general welfare of the ferret and to offer advice on housing, feeding, ailments and general husbandry.

2. To promote a better image of the ferret and ferreter by attending country shows, fairs and fetes, and encouraging favourable media coverage.

3. To provide a Society news letter for the interchange of news, views and information.

4. To encourage knowledge of, and research into, ferret ailments, both through local veterinary surgeons and national organisations.

5. To promote the correct and effective use of the ferret for rabbit control.

6. To promote the effective control of breeding in the light of current knowledge.

7. To engage in any other activity for the benefit of ferrets or ferreters as the Executive Committee shall from time to time determine as being necessary.

Membership of the Society shall be open to anyone regardless of whether or not they are the owner of a ferret. Each member shall have one vote at any Society meeting, save that no member under the age of eighteen years shall have a vote on a matter of finance. For the purposes of these Rules the expression "member" shall include Family Membership as the Executive Committee shall permit, and shall include two nominated voting members of any Affiliated Society. Family Membership shall carry two votes only. Membership of the Society shall lapse with the expiry of the Member's current subscription or with the expiry of any Affiliated Society's affiliation fee.

Any Ferret Club or Society may become an Affiliated Society by returning an application form signed by two elected officers and accompanied by the current membership numbers, and shall for the purposes of the Rules be treated as a "member" except where otherwise expressly provided. The use of the Society name and logo is strictly limited to Affiliated Societies, who are required to use the said name and logo with the word "AFFILIATED" underneath on all stationery and brochures.

The Executive Committee shall have absolute discretion to refuse to accept any person or society as a new member without being required to give reasons for doing so. The Executive Committee shall have absolute discretion to refuse to renew any existing membership without being required to give reasons, except where a current member is subject of a current disciplinary procedure. In such cases the Membership will be renewed pending the outcome of such procedure.

The Treasurer of the Society shall maintain the funds of the Society in a bank account, or in an account of such other financial institution as the Treasurer deem appropriate. Which institution or account shall be used shall be a matter within the discretion of the Treasurer, save that the Executive Committee shall have the right of veto. The Chairman, Treasurer and two nominated Executive committee members shall be authorised signatories to the account, with a requirement that any two shall sign every cheque or other negotiable document, the said bank or other financial institution will be informed of the signatories and the preparation of all necessary documentation allowing for this shall fall the duty of the Treasurer.

No funds payable to the Treasurer under the provisions of these rules shall be refundable under any circumstances. This rule does not affect the principle that in exceptional cases refunds may be made in the absolute discretion of the Executive Committee.

Any current Member of the Society shall have the right to inspect any Cash Book or other accounting record of the Society, subject to having given a reasonable notice of his or her wish to do so to the Treasurer.

In the event that for any reason the Society ceases to operate, any balance of monies remaining to its credit after payment of all due debts shall be distributed to one or more charitable bodies concerned with the welfare of animals. Such distribution shall be in the absolute discretion of the final Executive Committee.

The Society's officers shall consist of a President, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Membership Secretary, Treasurer, Newsletter Editor and Publicity Officer. These officers together with one Committee Member nominated by each affiliated society and two Executive Committee Members elected by the A.G.M. shall form the Executive Committee. All Committee members must, prior to election, be individual members in their own right..

The Society shall additionally elect an Auditor.

All officers of the Society shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting, save that the Executive Committee shall have authority to co-opt during the year in the event of a vacancy arising.

The quorum of the Executive Committee shall be four, including at least two elected officers.

The Executive Committee shall have an unfettered discretion to delegate all or any of its functions to Sub-Committee as the need arises. Every Sub-Committee shall be Chaired by an elected officer and shall consist of members of the Society only. Members who are not on the Executive Committee may be co-opted ad hoc to any Sub-Committee at the discretion of the Sub-Committee.

The Society shall hold an Annual General Meeting in each calendar year. The date shall be within the discretion of the Executive Committee, and will be notified in the Society Newsletter. Every member shall be entitled to attend. If for any reason beyond the control of the Society an Annual General Meeting is not held in any year, the existing officers shall remain in post until such meeting is held.

An Extra-ordinary General Meeting of the Society may be called by the Executive Committee at any time. An Extra-ordinary General Meeting may be called by the demand of any group of 20 members. Such a demand shall be in writing and shall be signed by each of the 20 members concerned. Such demand shall be delivered to the Secretary forthwith. Upon receipt thereof the Secretary shall call such General Meeting within six weeks at the location to be determined by the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee reserves the right to expel from the Society any person who in their opinions has engaged in any conduct likely to bring the Society into disrepute. Further, any member expelled from the Society shall be barred from all NFWS events.

Voting at all or any proceedings of the Society shall be by show of hands and a count of any Proxy votes save that a paper ballot may be taken upon passage of a motion to do so. Motions will pass by a simple majority except in the case of motions to change rules, where a majority of two-thirds of the members present will be required. In any vote to change a rule an abstention will be counted as a vote against the motion.

In the determination of any Society matter by voting, the Chairman of any General Meeting shall have no vote. The Chairman shall be entitled to exercise a casting Vote in cases where the meeting is equally split. The same rule shall apply to the Executive Committee and Sub-committees.

For the purposes of these rules the expression "Chairman" means any person who is at that time chairing a meeting, and is not limited to the elected Chairman of the Society.

The Society Rules shall only be changed at the Annual General Meeting. Any member proposing a change of rule shall give six weeks notice in writing to the Secretary. Such a proposal shall be signed by a Seconder. This rule in so far as it relates to the period of written notice shall not apply to rule changes proposed by the Executive Committee.

Motions to be moved at the Annual General Meeting other than those originating from the Executive Committee shall be notified to the Secretary in writing six weeks before the date of the meeting, and shall be signed by a Seconder. Proposals for new officers shall be subject to the same procedure except where the candidate is an existing officer. In the event that no written proposals for officers are received, the Chairman may accept proposals from the floor.

It shall not be within the competence of an Annual General Meeting to entertain any motion to suspend the operation of these rules for that meeting.

The Secretary of the Society shall receive, if agreed by the Executive Committee and said officer, an Honorarium in each calendar year, the amount of said Honorarium to be decided at the Annual General Meeting.

The Society will not accept liability for any loss or injury suffered by a member during any Society activity.

The Society will not accept liability for any injury to ferrets, or for any contagious disease contracted by a ferret at any Society event. Every member or guest takes part in Society events, with or without ferrets, strictly at their own risk. Copy of the Society's Insurance Schedule is available to members on request and the policy details will be available to members for inspection at committee meetings.

No Society officer or member has permission, right or authority to accept any legal liability on behalf of the Society in respect of any claim in tort or contract. Legal liabilities will only be accepted by the Executive Committee in consultation with the Society’s Insurance Company. Any member who accepts any liability other than in accordance with this rule will be deemed to have done so on his own behalf.

No member will purport to represent the policy of the Society on any issue without the consent of a quorum of the Executive Committee. Members approached by the media should refer such enquiries to the Secretary/PR Officer who will be generally authorised to represent the views of the Society in the media.

Any member who organises, or who participates in organising any Society event shall complete documentation in respect thereof as is required by the Secretary. Any such documentation shall be completed forthwith, and shall be forwarded to the Secretary within Seven days of the completion of the event, or within such longer time as the Secretary in his or her absolute discretion shall determine.

The decision of judges at Society shows is final. No appeals will be entertained in any event, and members participate on this understanding.

Any breach of Society rules shall be deemed to be conduct likely to bring the Society into disrepute within the meaning of the rules relating to discipline.

The Executive Committee reserves the right to determine any matter not covered by these rules.