Member Code of Ethics

All prospective members shall be given a copy of the Code of Ethics when applying for membership in The Greater Kingsport Kennel Club.

• Each member of the Club has an obligation to protect the best interest of “Dogdom” by conducting himself in a manner designed to reflect credit on himself, his breed, and on The Greater Kingsport Kennel Club, Inc.
  
• No member shall deliberately breed or sell “mixed breed” dogs.
• It shall be considered unethical for any member of the Club to engage in the wholesaling of litters of puppies or the selling of puppies or breeding stock to or through such places as pet shops, catalogue houses, or other commercial sources of distribution, nor shall he engage in over breeding his own bitches for profit, disregarding the quality of the puppies.
• All advertising is to be honest with no misrepresentation.
• It shall be considered unethical for any member of The Greater Kingsport Kennel Club, Inc. to knowingly violate any of the normally accepted ethical practices in breeding dogs, selling dogs, or holding dogs at public stud. No bitch shall be considered for breeding who carries known hereditary defects, nor who is not in good health and physical condition at the time of breeding. Knowing misrepresentation of the health or quality of a puppy or adult dog for sale shall be considered unethical. A stud dog owner will not knowingly breed bitches with hereditary defects, nor those not in good health or condition, nor shall he breed a bitch to any stud other than that agreed upon previously with the bitch owner.
• Every member of The Greater Kingsport Kennel Club, Inc. shall familiarize himself with The American Kennel Club rules regarding record keeping, registration, sale and transfer of dogs, and the procedures regarding exhibiting dogs and the holding of dog shows and matches. It shall be considered unethical to knowingly violate these rules and regulations.
• It shall be considered unethical for any member of the Club to maintain dogs in conditions which are considered to be inhumane.
• Any member not abiding by the Constitution and By-Laws, or Code of Ethics, may be charged under the provisions of ARTICLE VI of the By-laws of the Greater Kingsport Kennel Club.