MISSION


The mission of the Stafford Dog Club is to build greater public awareness and provide educational information about responsible dog ownership, while providing fun and exciting activities and events of interest to Stafford County dog lovers. To uphold this mission, the objectives of the club are:


* To further the advancement of and promote events of interest to owners of all breeds of dogs, including mixed breeds

* To promote responsible breeding practices and encourage spay/neuter in an effort to cut down on the pet over-population

* To disseminate knowledge to the community concerning responsible dog ownership

* To hold and support dog performance events

* To promote cooperation and good sportsmanship among its members and attendees at all Stafford Dog Club events.

By becoming a member of the Stafford Dog Club, you will have the opportunity to help make a difference for both the dog and dog lover communities in a number of areas. The Stafford Dog Club is a working club, and as a member, you will be asked to help with and participate in club activities and committees.

Sound good? Want to learn more about becoming a member of the Stafford Dog Club? Keep reading ...

Who are our Members?

The Stafford Dog Club membership includes dog lovers of all types from the serious competitor to folks who are just crazy about their canines.
All our members hold in common their love for their dogs.  Members are involved in various dog events, such as conformation showing, competitive obedience, agility, and rally. Some are involved in animal assisted therapy, rescue and other volunteer organizations. Others share their love of dogs through artwork and crafts. And all are willing to contribute their talents and time to making the club a success.

Benefits

Becoming a member gives you an even stronger voice in the club, in the form of being able to hold office and vote. In addition, you will have access to the members-only web group hosted on Yahoo. Think of the Yahoo group as being the continuation of the club meetings, only without a two-hour time limit. Here members have access to an ongoing discussion, a complete calendar of events, and pictures of club activities as well as members' dogs. And if that weren't enough, being a member also gives you that oh-so-good feeling that comes when your efforts are helping to make a difference in your community.

Annual Membership Dues

The Stafford Dog Club has four different types of membership ... one is surely designed to fit your needs. Dues are collected annually.

• General - open to all persons 18 years of age and older - $20
• Family - open to families of 2 or more persons - $25

How do I become a member?

There are four steps to becoming a member:

1. Attend at least two monthly club meetings.

Why two meetings? So that you can be sure the Stafford Dog Club is an organization in which you want to become involved, and the current club membership can get to know you.  

Gain the sponsorship of two current club members.

You may already know one or two current club members. If you don't, use your attendance at the meetings to get to know the current members. It may take more than two meetings to gain your sponsors ... that's okay, just keep coming to the meetings and getting involved!  

Submit a completed membership application.

The membership application, along with your check for first year's dues, can be submitted after you have attended at least two meetings and have two sponsors. Your check will be held until your application has been voted on by the club members.  

Wait for response from the Club Secretary regarding your application.

Yes, this is the hard part! Once your application has been submitted, it is read and voted on by club members during the next monthly meeting. The club Secretary will inform you of the results following the vote.