Full Membership is available to registered charities with an appropriate and relevant status and objectives in their country of origin in the UK or Ireland. All Full Members undertake rescue and / or rehoming in the UK and / or Ireland and may, in addition, import. Full Members have the right to vote.
They must meet the following criteria:
– Registered charity and working in the British Isles and/or Republic of Ireland
– Directly involved in and carrying out the rescue and/or rehoming of dogs and/or cats.
– Have read, understood and consider the rescue compliant with the Association’s published Minimum Welfare and Operational Standards. Be ready for an external assessment by ADCH to confirm compliance before admittance to the Association.
– Comply with all current animal welfare related legislation in the jurisdiction within which they operate
– Operate on a non-commercial basis.
– Only import dogs or cats from other territories if these have been legally imported in a manner that meets all applicable transport and health requirements; and have had the relevant vaccinations (including those not necessarily mandatory by the exporting or importing country); and the organisation ensures all dogs are behaviourally assessed and documented as suitable and safe to rehome to a British Isles environment prior to transport; and has a plan in place in case the rehoming of an animal is not successful.
– Not involved in any importation that does not meet the above criteria.
– Sympathetic to and compatible with the values of ADCH.
– Declare that they are not aware of any Trustees or Senior Staff Members with any previous convictions for animal welfare offences.