Rules and By-Laws

The Rules and By-Laws for the Murray River Retriever Association Incorporated outline how the association operates and are able to be reviewed using the drop down banners below. The rules were last updated effective October 2022. 

In applying for membership or membership renewal, you must agree to abide by these rules, the code of conduct and any accepted by-laws. 
 

Purpose of the Murray River Retriever Association

The purposes of the Murray River retriever Association Incorporated as stated in Rule 2 are:

* To preserve and promote the Murray River Retriever as an ANKC recognised pure breed of dog
* To maintain a Register for Murray River Retrievers
* To operate a Rescue and Re-homing Service
* To support breeders to breed to the ANKC Ltd Murray River Retriever breed standard to ensure the longevity of the breed
* To encourage and build a community of Murray River Retriever enthusiasts; and
* To educate the general public on the unique qualities of the Murray River Retriever.

 

Click on the link below to open the Rules in a PDF format

MRRA Rules 2022

Click on the link below to open the Code of Conduct in a PDF format

Code of Conduct 2022

 

CODE OF CONDUCT

To be read in conjunction with MRRA Inc. Rules of Association incorporating the “Statement of Purposes”.

As a member I will
• support the Purposes as set out in the Rules and By-laws of the Murray River Retriever Association

• not knowingly or recklessly misrepresent the Murray River Retriever Association Inc.

• not engage in actions or dialogue which results in any form of harassment either in person or in any online medium including email or social media.

• register as a recognised Breeder with the MRRA prior to joining dogs for purpose of breeding and adhere to the Regulations associated with breeding. I will not permit any Murray River Retriever in my care to be mated with a dog of any other breed.

• always display good sportsmanship and conduct so as to reflect credit upon myself, and the Murray River Retriever Association Incorporated.

• strive to improve my knowledge of the Murray River Retriever, and my knowledge of the requirements for the care, welfare and betterment of dogs.

• ensure that all dogs under my care are properly controlled, housed, fed, watered, exercised and receive veterinary care as required.

• not use cruel or abusive punishment to control or manage my dog(s) and be willing to take council/advice and become educated on more appropriate handling techniques.

• Endeavour to undertake and encourage training activities, puppy socialisation classes, obedience training or any other suitable work and socialisation appropriate for the development and mindset and well-being of the breed.

• ensure that I comply with my relevant state government Acts (as applicable) relating to dog ownership and breeding for the care and well-being of any dogs owned by me.

• positively enhance the reputation of Murray River Retriever breeders and owners by ensuring that dogs owned by me are not a danger or nuisance to the community.

• not participate in nor support any activity that involves cruelty or damage to animals, other than legal hunting activities.

• notify to the Murray River Retriever Association Incorporated of any changes in ownership of my dog, should I find myself in need of rehoming it. I understand that the Association has a rescue and rehoming service which I can reach out to for advice and/or assistance. Members should also consider any written agreements that are in place with the dog’s breeder.


VIOLATION OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT
Any complaint made under this Code must be received in writing by the Secretary of the Association and may be acted on by the Committee of the Association in accordance with the Rules.

By-Law –Types of Membership

The following membership types are recognised by the Murray River Retriever Association

 

General Membership (Rule 9) has two levels:

  1. Single – one adult member entitled to 1 vote at a general meeting
  2. Family – two adult members and up to three children (under 18) living in the same household entitled to 1 vote at a general meeting

 

Associate Memberships

Junior Associate

This associate membership is available to a person under the age of 18 who is not part of a family membership.

This membership has no voting rights and is ineligible to apply to be a Recognised Breeder.

Junior members will transfer to General members on attaining the age of 18,
Junior members may register a dog in their name.

 

Puppy Owner Associate

This associate membership is only purchasable by Recognised Breeders on behalf of purchasers of pups from a registered litter. It will expire at the end of the current financial year. Details for puppy purchasers will be provided by recognised breeders on the website form.

This membership entitles the Puppy Owner to have their puppy registered for life on the MRRA Dog Register in their name. They will receive the MRRA newsletter via email and access to the member’s only training page until their Puppy Owner Associate expiry date.

This membership has no voting rights and is ineligible to apply to be a Recognised Breeder.

Puppy Owner members may apply for a General membership at any time.

 

Committee Approved Date: 03 March 2023

Notified to Members: 03 March 2023

Date of Application: 17 March 2023

By-Law - Fees

 

General Membership

Single Member (1 Adult)                                                                                 $20.00 pa

Family Membership                                                                                        $35.00 pa
(2 Adults and Children under 18 living in the same household)

 

Fees are due on July 1 each year.

General Members with unpaid fees at September 1 will be suspended until payment is received or removal from membership occurs.

General Members with unpaid fees at January 1 each year will be removed from membership and their account archived.

 

Application to be a Recognised Breeder including Prefix                              $25.00 per application

Dog Registration                                                                                             $10.00 per dog

Litter and Lifetime Puppy Registration to new owner by a Recognised Breeder

(Including Puppy Owner Associates for new owners)                                   $80.00 per litter

 

Committee Approved Date: 03 March 2023

Notified to Members: 03 March 2023

Date of Application: 17 March 2023

 

 

By-Law - Recognised Breeder

 

A current General or Life member who intends to breed may apply to be a Recognised Breeder on the approved form. Members should apply to be a recognised breeder prior to joining their Dam with a Sire. In making the application, the member agrees to abide by the Dog Register Rules.

Members should complete the website form and pay the associated fee. The fee includes the registration of one dog.

Breeder recognition lapses if their General Membership is not current. A new breeder recognition application will need to be lodged along with the applicable fee if the person re-applies for membership and wishes to reinstate their breeder recognition.

A Recognised Breeder may have a listing on the public Recognised Breeder page on the MRRA website to advertise their kennel and advise of available litters.

Members who were current breeder members as at the date of application of this by-law will be automatically transferred to a Family membership and be designated as a Recognised Breeder. Breeders may choose a preferred General Membership level of Single or Family membership at their next renewal.

 

 

Committee Approved Date: 03 March 2023

Notified to Members: 03 March 2023

Date of Application: 17 March 2023

 

 

 

Click on the link below to open the Dog Register Rules in a PDF format

Dog Register Rules Mar2023

By-Law – Dog Register Rules

  1. General
    1. Murray River Retrievers can only be registered in the name of, and by current members and associate members of the Murray River Retriever Association
    2. Any member, while under suspension, will have any applications for registration currently being processed, or any subsequently submitted, held until the suspension is lifted
    3. Recognised Breeders are required to register every litter, which includes Puppy Owner Associate memberships for purchasers of their dogs and dog registrations.
    4. Recognised Breeders of the Association will conduct themselves and their Kennels with decorum and will not bring disrepute to the Association by way of their actions or verbally

 

  1. Prefixes
    1. The Registrar shall keep and maintain a register of prefixes.
    2. A Recognised Breeder should register a prefix. If no prefix is selected, the breeder’s surname will become the default prefix. The Registrar may decline to accept a prefix for registration if it too closely resembles another prefix or is misleading, unsuitable or objectionable. Each membership may only register one prefix
    3. A registered prefix shall only be transferred with the consent of the committee and of the registered owner.
       
  2. Litter Notification
    All Recognised Breeders are required to register all litters using the litter notification form within 4 weeks of whelping and paying the advised fee.

Litter notifications shall be accompanied by a stud service certificate which lists details of the sire and date of serving, signed by the owners of the sire.
 

Recognised Breeders are required to submit a puppy transfer form to advise the names of each dog to be used on the Register along with microchip numbers and the details of new owners to complete the dog registration process for puppies. Registration certificates will be issued to the new owner after these details are received and processing completed. This must be completed by 12 weeks post whelping.
 

Litter notification without new owner details being supplied immediately after sale does not constitute entry to the register.
 

  1. Dog Names
    Each animal submitted for individual registration must be named, and such name must not exceed two words in addition to the breeder’s stud prefix, which must be used.

A Name may not be registered if:

    1. It is the same name as the prefix of another registered dog or
    2. It has a name so similar to that of another registered dog, which in the opinion of the Registrar would be likely to mislead or confuse.
    3. another breeder’s prefix is used
    4. It is the breeder’s prefix followed by ‘Girl’ or ‘Boy’, ‘Female’ or ‘Male’
       

When a name is not acceptable, and the owner of a dog does not choose another name when requested to do so, the Registrar may name the dog.


Any dog’s name supplied as historical information as parents, grandparents etc. but not known to be registered dogs, will be entered as ancestors in the register with the owner’s surname as prefix unless the breeder is known.

A name may be reused 15 years following the death of the original bearer of the name, numbered sequentially starting at II.

 

If given permission by the breeder, the owner of a dog included in a notified litter may subsequently change the name of the registered the dog up to 12 weeks of age, provided that the breeder’s stud prefix remains the same. The breeder of an animal is the owner of its dam at the date of its birth.
 

 

  1. The Register
    The Registrar will record Murray River Retrievers submitted for registration in one of 5 parts of the register.
    1. Stud Book
      Eligible dogs shall have 5 generations of registered pedigree and be named with a registered prefix.

       
    2. Section A:
      Eligible dogs must have 2 generations of registered or verified pedigree for each parent and be named with a registered prefix.

The offspring of a mating of 2 section A dogs will be eligible for ANKC registration subject to additional requirements outlined in the ANKC registration section of these by-laws.
 

    1. Section B:
      Eligible dogs must have at least 1 generation of registered or verified pedigree for each parent. The Registrar may accept the results of DNA parental testing as conclusive evidence of parentage for the purposes of registration into Section B.

       

Dogs bred by an unrecognised breeder of the MRRA after 31 May 2023 or from parents who were unregistered at the time of whelping will only be eligible for Section B.

 

    1. Section C:
      Eligible dogs must have one or more generations of pedigree on one parental side but may have no registered or verified pedigree for the other parent.  The dog must show strong MRR influence. This section is to facilitate breeders intending to breed Section C dogs toward a pure MRR line. This is not for perpetuating any cross bred line.

       
    2. Section P:
      For dogs registered as pets only – they are not to be bred with. No offspring will be eligible to be registered.
      Recognised Breeders should use their discretion and register pups in this section if there are any health concerns, eg. hereditary hernia or has an Affected result for any DNA tested disease.

       

Moving dogs between sections
Upgrading a dog: As the MRRA is currently a Breed under development, if dog is designated in section A, B, C or P due to incomplete history or health reports, the Registrar may upgrade the dog to a higher level if additional information is received and able to be verified. For section C dogs, a clear photo taken photos both portrait and the profile, must be supplied with all adult requests for upgrade.

 

Downgrading a dog: A dog may be transferred from its existing register section to section P if the owner notifies the Registrar that the dog has been neutered; the Registrar determines the dog is not of desirable type; any particulars of a material nature furnished in the application for registration are incorrect; or the Registrar determines it is in the interest of the breed not to be bred with.

The pairings table at the end of this bylaw may be used as a reference to show how offspring of paired dogs will be recognised.

 

  1. ANKC Eligible Registration
    General members, Life members or Junior Associates may request ANKC transfer if the following conditions are met:
    1. Eligible dogs must have 3 complete parental generations registered on the MRRA Register and have been registered by a Recognised Breeder (formerly Breeder Member). Dogs who have not been bred and litter registered by Recognised Breeder will be required to provide DNA proof of parentage.
    2. Both parents must be DNA health tested including the CCDY/IVDD testing and results provided to the Association or if no results are available for the parents, then the dog must be health tested and the report provided to the Association.
      If both parents test as being Carriers of a disease, the dog will also need to be health tested.
    3. Any dog with a DNA result of Affected for any disease will only be eligible with a footnote of “Not to be Bred with”.


On satisfactorily meeting the above criteria and provision of the required testing results, the Registrar will issue an ANKC approved registration certificate for the dog and a letter of approval to the ANKC for the transfer of the dog to the ANKC register.
 

  1. Breeding by Artificial Insemination
    The registration of a dog bred by Artificial Insemination (AI) shall for the purposes of registration be treated as a Normal mating providing both the sire and dam are registered with the Association; and the owner of the sire has signed a stud service certificate, sire and dam are DNA verified and resultant puppies are DNA parent verified.
     
  2. Transfer of Ownership

An application for the transfer of ownership of a registered dog shall be made on the appropriated form and accompanied by confirmation of transfer of the microchip registry entry

The Registrar may approve or disallow the transfer depending on the facts.
 

  1. Breeding Responsibilities
    1. Members intending to breed must apply for Recognised Breeder status before joining of the Dam and Sire
    2. Breeding should be primarily for the purpose of improving the quality and/or working ability of dogs and undertaken with reference to the ANKC breed standard
    3. No bitch should be bred earlier than 12 months of age or later than 8 years of age
    4. Members shall ensure that all DNA health testing has been completed prior to mating and provide the results to the Registrar.
    5. No bitch will be intentionally bred more than once in a 12 month period.
    6. A member shall keep proper records of their breeding activities as required by their state or ANKC member body requirements and supply details to the MRRA upon request.
    7. Members should follow ANKC and their own State breeding codes.
    8. Members are recommended not to breed excessive numbers of litters and responsibility for finding good homes for puppies’ rests solely with the breeder.
       
  2. Recognised Breeder website profile
    Breeders may have a profile or listing on the MRRA website to inform and assist potential buyers and advise when they have litters upcoming. Litter availability will be updated upon receipt of the litter registration.

    The Association in no way endorses those potential purchasers that are supplied details of potential litters or puppies.

     

The Association is in no way obliged to sell dogs or puppies on behalf of breeders and is not obliged to provide details of particular breeders/litters to any or all enquirers.
 

  1. Pairings table - Offspring Classification

 

Dam

Stud Book

Section A

Section B

Section C

Sire

 

 

 

 

Stud Book

Stud + ANKC Eligible (STC)

ANKC Eligible (STC)

Section A

Section B

Section A

Section A* + ANKC Eligible (STC)

Section A* + ANKC Eligible (STC)

Section A

Section B

Section B

Section A

Section A

Section A

Section B

Section C

Section B

Section B

Section B

Section B

(STC) = subject to criteria
* = If the Section A Sire and Dam both have 4 Generations then the offspring are eligible for Stud book.

 

No person shall be entitled to make application for any particulars from the Register unless they are a financial member of the Association.

 

Committee Approved Date: 03 March 2023

Notified to Members: 03 March 2023

Date of Application: 17 March 2023