Briard Club of America Inc.

Member of the American Kennel Club Founded 1928

Code of Ethics

The Briard Club of America endorses the following Code of Ethics. This code establishes a standard of conduct to be followed by all members of the Briard Club of America in the normal course of owning, exhibiting, judging, breeding and selling Briards. Recognizing the impossibility of covering every situation that may arise, it is the spirit, rather than the letter of the Code that shall apply.

Responsibilities as a member of the BCA:

1. Support and abide by the Briard Club of America Constitution and By-laws.

2. Support and abide by the BCA Code of Ethics.

3. Support and abide by the AKC standard for the Briard.

4. Abide by all AKC rules and regulations where they pertain.

5. Consider the health and welfare of the animals in your care, as well as the health and welfare of the breed in general, as uppermost in importance.

6. Maintain contact with the breeder of your dog advising him/her of the dog’s progress, any training or health problems that may occur.

7. Never to abandon or dispose of a Briard in a shelter or a pound. If unable or unwilling to care for the dog, to contact the breeder to enlist his/her support in finding a new home.

8. Support the Briard Rescue program to the best of your ability realizing it serves as the final safety net for Briards facing life-threatening situations.

9. Conduct yourself in a manner to reflect credit upon yourself, the breed and the Club whether at home, at shows or traveling by:

a. Displaying good sportsmanship at all times.

b. Refraining from false or malicious criticism (hurtful or mean-spirited comments) about a competitor’s dog, breeder or owner.

c. Refraining from false or malicious criticism about a judge’s decision. No member shall make false or malicious comments to any judge in writing, in public or in private regarding dogs belonging to others.

d. Practicing and promoting responsible dog ownership to include the conduct and control of your dog in public places.

e. Respecting the property of others, including facilities used for dog events, especially by use of proper sanitary measures.

Should any violation of the above occur at an AKC licensed or member club event or at an AKC sanctioned event, it shall be handled as an AKC disciplinary matter.

10. No Officer, Director or other member shall knowingly represent his/her personal opinion to be the official position of the BCA or of its Board of Directors in the media or other means of public communication.

11. Any contract disputes will be resolved between the contracting parties, not the Briard Club of America nor its Board of Directors.

Responsibilities as a Briard breeder:

In addition to all of the above:

1. Breeders should be fully familiar with the AKC Standard and breed only to improve the breed.

2. Demonstrate honesty and fairness in dealing with other breeders, purchasers of dogs and the general public.

3. Use breeding stock of sound temperament, with no major hereditary defects, free of parasites and communicable disease. Testing for genetic defects such as hip dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, night blindness, von Willebrand’s disease, hypothyroidism and other tests as they become available should be done before breeding, and test results should be available to anyone on request. Brucellosis tests should be done before each breeding.

4. Provide appropriate documentation to all concerned regarding the health of the dogs involved in a breeding or sale, including reports of examinations such as those applying to hips and eyes.

5. Refrain from further use of any dog/bitch that has produced serious defects detrimental to the animal’s well being, affecting normal functions or impairment of vital functions and produces like results with a different mating partner.

6. Make full use of AKC Limited registration in selling puppies with disqualifying faults or, in the breeder’s opinion, lacking the quality adequate for breeding.

7. Follow AKC requirements for record keeping, identification of breeding stock, and registration procedures.

8. Screen prospective buyers to ascertain their potential to properly care for a large, active, coated dog. Inform prospective puppy buyers of the lifelong responsibilities of Briard ownership: training, grooming, socializing, veterinary expenses, equipment needs, spatial needs, and exercise.

9. Provide complete information to new owners including instructions on feeding, medical records, training and socialization needs. Urge buyers to attend obedience classes. Also provide a four-generation pedigree, AKC registration papers, which may be provided after spaying or neutering per contract, and a copy of the AKC breed standard as well as this Code of Ethics.

10. Use clear concise contracts to document the sale, the use of stud dogs and lease arrangements including the use, when appropriate, of non-breeding agreements, spaying/neutering contracts and/or Limited Registration.

11. Understand and agree that you are willing to take back or assist in finding a new home for any dog you produce at any time in its life, if requested to do so. The owner of the sire, having a vested interest in the litter produced, should also be consulted in matters arising that may affect the health and welfare of the offspring.

12. No member or breeder shall, either singly or in litter lots: (i) knowingly consign, donate or sell dogs to commercial dog wholesalers, franchised commercial facilities, brokers, pet shops, puppy mills, laboratories, or agents of the forgoing, (ii) offer, or donate or sell any dog to be offered as a prize in any form of raffle, contest or other like activity or for sale in a mail order catalog.

13. All advertising shall be truthful and ethical. Any claims made must be provable.

Violations:

Any interested person may notify either the President or Secretary of the Board of Directors of the BCA in writing of any alleged violation of this Code of Ethics of which he/she has personal first-hand knowledge. Such notification shall be accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation. The notification, together with supporting documentation shall be forwarded by the President or Secretary to all members of the Board of Directors.

The Board shall receive, investigate, discuss and deal with any alleged violation within Executive Session. Board members may not take an active part in decisions that personally affect them. If the Board, by a majority affirmative vote of all the then members of the Board (but in no event less than six [6] Board members) shall determine that any member against whom a complaint has been filed, shall have knowingly acted in violation of the BCA Code of Ethics, disciplinary action may be brought against such member by the Board pursuant to Article VI of the BCA Constitution and By-laws or the Board make take such lesser action against such member as the Board may deem appropriate including but not limited to the issuance of a letter of reprimand. Repeated violations of any provision of this Code of Ethic shall be deemed to be misconduct prejudicial to the best interests of the breed or the BCA.

8/10/2002:MLS