Code of Ethics

The ethical conduct and breeder behavior standards that guide all members of the Irish Wolfhound Association of New England.

All IWANE Members are representatives of The Club and of the breed.

Each member is expected to conduct themselves in a manner which brings respect to The Club and to the breed by displaying good sportsmanship, civility, honesty and responsibility for their dogs and themselves. All IWANE Members have an obligation to protect the Irish Wolfhound and its future by welcoming new owners and facilitating their education about the breed and The Club, by realistically and honestly portraying the qualities of the breed and their dogs, and by adhering to responsible ownership and breeding practices.

The board reserves the right to take disciplinary action against any member that does not comply with IWANE’s Standard of Ethical Conduct for Members of IWANE or Standard of Behavior for Breeders. This includes suspension or loss of membership.

• Abide by the IWANE Articles of Incorporation for Non-Profits, Bylaws and the rules and regulations of the American Kennel Club including the AKC Code of Sportsmanship, and the national club, Irish Wolfhound Club of America.
• Encourage and maintain the best accepted, reasonable and responsible standards of canine health, hygiene, feeding, care and training.
• Be mentors for the breed willingly sharing knowledge and experience related to Irish Wolfhounds and information related to participation in dog sports and activities with others.
• Not relinquish an Irish Wolfhound to an animal shelter, rescue, a non-Irish Wolfhound shelter or other such organizations.
• Not buy or sell bitches in whelp.
• Not use their membership in IWANE in advertising or other promotional activities, or otherwise misrepresent the club or the breed.
• Not medically alter the physical appearance of a hound for the purpose of enhancing its competitive edge.

• Use available health tests in accordance with the recommendations of IWANE and the IWCA to minimize or eliminate the occurrence of disease affected puppies/dogs.
• Educate themselves on the AKC Standard of the Irish Wolfhound and breed dogs conforming to the standard.
• Encourage and support participation in the Irish Wolfhound Database (iwdb.org) and keep accurate records of each litter.
• Ensure quality and healthy bitches are being bred to quality and healthy studs, and refrain from further breeding of a bitch or stud that has known inherited defects.
• To the best of their ability, evaluate puppies/dogs as sound and in good health at time of sale.
• Evaluate potential placement homes with the goal of finding a lifelong family for the puppy/dog.
• Provide proper care for both the bitch and the litter and retain the puppies for as long as is necessary to find proper homes.
• Be prepared to assume lifelong responsibility for all puppies their Irish Wolfhound(s) produce.
• Provide a contract/bill of sale on each puppy stipulating that the puppy/dog must be returned to the breeder if for any reason the owner can no longer care for it.
• Not knowingly falsify pedigree or breeding information.
• Not breed specifically for profit or in any way benefit from the exploitation of the breed.
• Not sell, place or consign any Irish Wolfhounds to a commercial facility, business or agent thereof.
• Not advertise puppies for sale on known puppy mill sites, rescue sites, social media groups, eBay, Craigslist or any similar platform.
• Supply an IWANE Associate Membership Form and a copy of this Code of Ethical Conduct to anyone with whom a puppy/adult dog is placed unless they are already a member of IWANE.
• Not denigrate another member’s Irish Wolfhounds or kennel.
• Always uphold IWANE’s Standard of Ethical Conduct.

Officers and members of the board of directors have a duty of care to ensure prudent use of all assets, including financial, people and good will. They have a duty of loyalty to ensure the corporation’s activities and transactions are first and foremost as set forth in the bylaws. They hold a duty of obedience which ensures the corporation adheres to its corporate mission and obeys all laws and regulations in addition to its own bylaws.

In addition to the above codes, board members are expected:

• Attend board meetings during the length of their tenure.
• Uphold confidentiality of discussions conducted in executive session, which extends beyond his/her board tenure.
• Uphold IWANE standards with a loyalty to the preservation of the breed in all cases brought to the board without prejudice.
• Act in the best interests of IWANE and not for personal gain or enrichment.
• Identify any conflicts of interest, should they arise, and remove themselves from any discussion or vote on the matter.
• Pass on to their successors all club documents, materials, and other property entrusted to them as members of the Board or committees in a timely manner but not to exceed 60 days from the election or appointment of their successors.

Consolidation of Source Documents: IWCA Code of Ethics and IWANE Code of Ethics
Revised on March 25, 2020 · Approved on April 6, 2020