Bylaws and Policies

Bylaws for Warrior Dog Rescue

Article I – Function of Warrior Dog Rescue

Section 1: Name

The name of the organization is Warrior Dog Rescue

Section 2: Purpose

The Purpose of Warrior Dog Rescue is to:

  1. To rescue dogs from situations that are abusive, neglectful, or dangerous.
  2. To rescue dogs in danger of being euthanized.
  3. To  support shelter/rescue partners in their efforts to save dogs.
  4. To assist in owner surrenders after we have attempted to work with the family to resolve the issue at hand.
  5. To provide necessary veterinary care including spay/neuters.
  6. To place rescued dogs into permanent adoptive homes after approved application, home visit, and reference checks.
  7. To educate and promote the importance of spaying/neutering dogs.
  8. To provide awareness to the public on animal cruelty.
  9. To educate on safety protocols to reduce the rate of lost dogs.
  10. To provide the community a space to come together, volunteer, learn, gain skills, and further the understanding about the need for rescue.

Warrior Dog Rescue will strive to maximize the percentage of its operating budget, which directly benefits rescued animals. Fundraising to support this will be achieved through donations, sponsorship programs and various fundraising events.

Article II – Powers

Section 1: Direction of Powers

The general powers of the Organization will be exercised, its property controlled, and its business and affairs conducted by or under the direction of the Founder, Director, Assistant Director, and the Board of Directors. The Board may act only by a majority vote of all the Directors of the Board in the matters declared above.

Section 2: Private Inurnment

The net earnings of the Organization shall not be used to benefit or be distributed to its Board of Directors, Volunteers, Donators, or any other private persons. However, the Organization shall be authorized or empowered to pay reasonable reimbursements for actual and necessary expenses in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article I, Section 2.

Section 3: Discrimination

The Organization shall not apply its standards, policies, procedures, or practices inequitably or single out any party for disparate treatment unless justified by substantial and reasonable cause. The Organization shall not discriminate against any reasonable application for a Volunteer or Foster Home for their race, political beliefs, religion, marital status, or sexual preference.

Section 4: Lobbying

No substantial part of the activities of the Organization shall be the carrying on of propaganda. The Organization shall not participate in, or intervene in (including publishing or distribution of statements) political campaigns on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office.

Article III – Structure of the Board Members

Section 1: Board Role, Size, Compensation

The Board is responsible for overall policies and direction of the Organization, guiding and advising the Founder, Director for issues on the day to day running of the rescue when requested. The board shall consist of up to seven (7) and not fewer than three (3) members. The Board receives no compensation.

Section 2: Meetings

The Board shall meet at least quarterly in an agreed upon time and place. The Founder, and Director shall be included in communications regarding the time and place of the meeting and in attendance when deemed applicable.

Section 3: Action Without Meeting

New directors shall be elected by the Board of Directors. A director shall be elected by a majority vote of the existing board members.

Section 4: Electronic Mail, Telephone Meetings

Electronic mail shall be considered equivalent to any communication otherwise required to be in writing. Directors of the Board shall also be permitted to participate in meetings through telephone/internet communication. All telephone/internet communication shall be such that all Board members can hear all other members.

Section 5: Terms

All Directors of the Board shall serve a two-year term alternating the election year in two separate groups within the Board. Re-election will be decided upon by the other Directors of the Board, the Founder, and the Director. Re-election of the President, the Secretary and General Board Member #1 and #3 (as applicable) in the first term (even numbered years) and the Treasurer and General Board Member #2 and #4 as applicable on the opposing term (odd numbered years).

Section 6: Quorum

A quorum must be attended by all Directors of the Board before business can be transacted or motions made or passed.

Section 7: Notice

An official Board meeting requires that each Director of the Board have written notice two weeks in advance. A written notice via email is acceptable.

Section 8: Officers and Duties

The Board of Directors shall have three (3) Officers consisting of a President, Secretary and Treasurer. One Board member may hold multiple officer positions if the remaining Board members elect to defer duties to one member. Other positions will be held for General Board Members. The Board of Directors officer duties are as follows:

  • The President shall be in charge of all of the Board’s activities and business, and ensure the Board convenes regularly. The President of the Board shall also be in charge of all HR and audit related duties for any and all paid employees of the rescue.
  • The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping records of the Board meetings, including overseeing the taking of minutes at all Board meetings, sending out meeting announcements, distributing copies of minutes and the agenda to each Board member, the Founder, the Director, and assuring that corporate records are maintained.
  • The Treasurer shall manage the financial affairs of the Organization and shall be responsible for all funds, properties and securities held by the Organization. The Treasurer shall make a report at each Board meeting, reviewing Balance Sheet and Profit & Loss of the Organization. In addition, the Treasurer shall provide a monthly financial report to all Board members, the Founder, and the Director by the end of the subsequent quarter.

Section 9: Vacancies

When a vacancy on the Board exists, the Secretary may receive nominations for new members from the Founder, the Director, and present Directors of the Board. Upon approval of the applications for the nominees by the Founder and the Director, the Secretary shall send the nominations out to voting members with the regular Board meeting announcement (a minimum of 2 weeks in advance), to be voted upon at the next Board member meeting.

Section 10: New Board Members

Applications for new Board member positions will be accepted only upon written approval of the Founder and the Director.

Section 11: Resignation, Termination, and Absences

Resignation from the Board must be in writing and received by the Directors of the Board, the Founder, and the Director. A Board member shall be dropped for excess absence from the Board if she/he has an unexcused absence from the Board meeting that year. A Board member may be removed for other reasons by a 60% vote of the remaining officers. There must be a minimum of three Board members remaining on the Board at all times.

Article IV – Rights of Inspection

Section 1: Inspections

Every member of the Board shall have the right at any reasonable time and on written demand to examine and make copies of/from the relevant books and records of accounts, minutes, and bylaws of the Organization.

Article V – Fiscal Year

Section 1: Fiscal Year

The fiscal year shall be the start of the Rescue year. The fiscal year for the Organization shall start on October 1st.

Article VI – Indemnification

Section 1: Terms of Indemnification

The Organization may, to the fullest extent, now or hereafter permitted by law, indemnify any person made or threatened to be made, a party of any action, suit or proceeding by reason of the fact that he/she (or person of who he/she is the legal or personal representative of heir or legatee) is or was an Officer, employee, associate, contributor, or any other agent of the corporation, or of any other organization served by him/her in any capacity at the request of the Corporation, against judgments, fines, amounts paid in settlement and reasonable expenses, including attorneys’ fees.

Article VII – Dissolution

Section 1: Dissolution

Upon the dissolution of the Organization, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not so disposed shall be disposed of by a Court of Competent Jurisdiction in which the principal office of the Organization is then located, exclusively for such purposes, or to such organizations, as the Court of Competent Jurisdiction shall determine, which is operated exclusively for such purposes.

Article IX – Amendments

Section 1: Amending the Bylaws

The Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Organization may be altered, amended, or repealed and new Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws adopted only upon acting by 60% majority vote of all the following:
Directors of the Board, the Founder, the Director, except as otherwise provided in the Articles of Incorporation of these Bylaws. Proposed amendments must be submitted to the Secretary to be sent out with regular Board announcements.

BYLAWS FOR WARRIOR DOG RESCUE – November 22, 2022

These bylaws were approved by the WDR Board of Directors and the Founder and Director on November 22, 2022.

WDR Non-Discriminatory Policy

Warrior Dog Rescue does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, the appointment to and termination from its Board of Directors, hiring and firing of staff or contractors, selection of volunteers, selection of vendors, and providing of services.

Warrior Dog Rescue is an equal opportunity employer. We shall not discriminate and will not discriminate in employment, recruitment, Board membership, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, or for any other discriminatory reason.