Australian Shepherd Club of Victoria -

The Australian Shepherd Club of Victoria in keeping with its Constitutional aim of breeding for the working ability as well as other outstanding qualities of the Australian Shepherd has adopted the following By-Laws/Code of Ethics to promote and foster the highest standards amongst breeders, owners and fanciers, and to encourage sportsmanship and cooperation in the improvement and advancement of our breed.

All members in good standing with ASCV subscribe to and uphold this code.

1. Each member who breeds his bitch or uses his stud for services shall keep accurate records of stock such as stud services, pedigrees, all litters produced, sales of dogs/puppies, all exchanges involving Australian Shepherds for a minimum of seven years. Any member who falsifies a registration or knowingly misrepresents a pedigree may be dealt with under disciplinary procedures of the ASCV.

2. A breeder should plan each breeding with the paramount intention of improving the breed. A breeder should select Sire and Dam with an eye to Conformation, Temperament, and Working ability with a careful study of the ANKC breed standard, pedigrees and basic principles of genetics. Before entering into any breeding agreement, a breeder should scrutinise pedigrees, conformation and working potential of both sire and dam keeping in mind the ideal Australian Shepherd as described in the ANKC Breed Standard. Should he/she refuse the breeding, a full explanation of this reasoning should be given to the owner of the bitch/dog. A breeder shall use for breeding purposes only those individual free from defects such as monorchidism, cryptorchidism, deafness, albinism and other such disqualifying defects.

   He/she shall use only those individuals whose hips have been x-rayed for dysplasia and rated suitable for breeding by Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) or by an equivalent recognised scheme in the Country of origin. He/she should only use dogs whose eyes have been examined and found free from signs of ocular deformities diagnosed by a qualified Veterinary Ophthalmologist.

   Carefull consideration should be given to the use of an individual animal known to produce afflicted puppies. Committee will advise of future use of parents known to produce affilicted puppies and may refuse to list puppies on the Sales Register, this is to be based upon relevant expert opinion in that particular field.

3. It is preferred that a bitch should not be mated/bred to any male before the age of twenty (20) months, and should not be mated/bred again until the first litter are at least twelve months of age and have been hip scored and eye tested. All members to supply hip and eye scores to advertise through the club.

4. A breeder should maintain high standards of health and care of his dogs and guarantee the health of puppies at the time of sale.

5. The breeder shall be discerning in the sale of puppies and concerns with the type of homes in which they are placed. With this in mind, Australian Shepherds shall not be donated for raffles, give aways, or sold to dog wholesalers , retailers or pet shops. A breeder should provide a minimum of six (6) months guarantee against crippling or handicapping congenital defects on all pet puppies sold and shall additionally guarantee the sale of breeding stock puppies against all hereditary defects and any disqualifying faults for a like period.

   All guarantees should at least provide for replacement of the puppy with another, within a reasonable length of time after return of the puppy originally purchased. Upon sale of a dog/puppy, the breeder shall provide all buyers with a minimum three generation pedigree, including coat colour, occurrence of a naturally bobbed tail, diet and care information, health guarantee and inoculation record (including date and type of serum). A breeder shall not release a puppy until at least eight weeks of age.

6. The breeder agrees that all advertising of dogs/puppies shall be factual and honest both in substance and implication. The breeder should be cautious in encouraging buyers as to breeding potential, as the breeding of Australian Shepherds is not to be taken lightly. The use of the Limited Register to be encouraged when applicable.

7. The exhibition of dogs being a sport, ASCV members shall be expected to express good sportsmanship in all activities involving the Australian Shepherd. Members should refrain from unnecessary criticism of another’s dog. As a matter of ethics, the breeder pledges to help educate the general public as well as graciously assist the novice breeder in all with which he is familiar.

8. Life Member,
   Any member may be nominated as a Life Member of ASCV in recognition of services rendered to the Club, or services towards the objects of the Club over a period of at least ten years with a minimum of two years service on the Club Committee during that period. Such nominations are to be approved by seventy five (75%) per-cent of Committee at a Committee Meeting, and then confirmed by at least seventy five 75% per-cent of financial members present at a General Meeting and that such nominee is deemed worthy of receiving such honour. such member shall continue to enjoy all privileges and benefits of ordinary membership of ASCV but henceforth shall not be liable to pay an annual membership subscription. The number of persons so elected in any one year shall be restricted to one (1). All ballots in conjunction with same, shall be of a secret ballot.

9. The manner and procedure of dealing with protests and objections made at club activities, shows or exhibitions shall be subject to the Constitution, and Rules of the Victorian Canine Association.

10. A member shall not vote in respect of any contract or proposed contract with the Club in which he is interested or in respect of any matter arising thereout and if he/she does so vote, that vote shall not be counted.

11. All acts done by any meeting of the Committee or Sub-Committee thereof or a Sub-Committee appointed by the members or by any person acting as a member of the Committee or of a Sub-Committee notwithstanding that it is afterwards discovered that there was some defect in the appointment of the Committee or of a Sub-Committee or of any person acting as aforesaid, or that the members of the Committee or any of them or of a Sub-Committee were disqualified shall be as valid as if any such person had been validly appointed and was qualified to be a member of the Committee or of such Sub-Committee.

12. Any dog declared a Dangerous Dog under the Domestic (Feral and Nuisance) Animal Act 1994, or aggressive by the VCA shall not be permitted to participate in any club activity without strict supervision.

13. Any breach of the ASCV Rules, By-Laws/Code of Practice shall be dealt with by the Committee in accordance with the club Rules.

14. Puppy Listing and Sales Register

    1. The ASCV shall maintain a puppy listing and sales register for their members providing that such members complies with all current By-Laws/Code of Ethics.
    2. Breeder must be a financial member for a minimum of 12 months
    3. A fee must be paid before the litter is listed.
    4. Copies of hip certification, by a registered radiologist, on both sire and dam to be supplied before listing of litter will occur. Elbow certification to be supplied on sire and dam born after 1 January 2005.
    5. Copies of current clear eye certification, by a registered ophthalmologist, to be supplied before listing. The certificate must be within 12 months of the due date of whelping. The dog must be certified free of any hereditary defects.
    6. Each puppy sold by an ASCV breeder member to a non ASCV member (overseas sales excluded) must result in a new membership to be paid by the Breeder at a reduced fee.
    7. Older dogs can be listed on the Club Sales once listing fee is paid.
    8. The ASCV strongly encourages breeders to make use of the Optigen CEA test to identify the genetic status of their breeding stock.

15. The ASCV shall maintain a Data Base for the reading of relevant information pertaining to the breed. Such information to be available to all club members upon request. To be eligible for any sales referrals by the ASCV all animals must be recorded on the club Data Base.