Policy Title:        AU Code of Ethics        

Policy Number:  AU310                                                                           

Effective Date:   January 1, 1996  

Last Revision:  July 10, 2007                                          

Introduction:  The Board of Directors of the AU has adopted the following

Code of Ethics for its’ members and member-affiliated organizations.  It should be noted that repeated or intentional and willful violations of any of the items of the Code could be considered to be conduct detrimental to the pigeon sport, the AU, or its members, and may result in disciplinary action that could include suspending or expelling the offender from the AU and its affiliated member organizations.

310.01 AU members have a responsibility to represent our sport and hobby in the highest of standards of conduct: they will not use profane language, engage in abusive argument or disorderly conduct at pigeon functions or in public places where they can be identified with our sport and hobby.

310.02 AU members shall abide by all laws and/or covenants in the housing or management of their pigeons, and shall comply with all provisions of regulations regarding awards or prizes.

310.03 AU organizations will not require compulsory pooling.

310.04 Under no circumstances will officers of member clubs distribute bands to individuals prior to January 1 of each year.

310.05 AU members shall provide adequate and sanitary housing for their birds.

310.06 AU members shall feed their pigeons an adequate diet and maintain them in healthy physical condition and arrange to provide proper medical care for them if necessary.

310.07 AU members shall consider their neighbor’s rights in the management of their lofts and race teams.

310.08 AU members shall not train their birds in a reckless or a ruthless manner that presents undue hardships on the birds or that may effect a loss of pigeons.  

310.09 AU affiliated organizations shall follow the latest official AU Club Race Rules in the conduct of their races and abide by all official AU policies.

310.10 The welfare, health and safety of all race birds will be the first consideration in their transportation to the liberation point, whether for training or for a race.  No Injured or disabled birds should ever be shipped. (revised 7-20-06)

310.11 AU members shall not ship pigeons that are not healthy or that are contagious to races, regardless of previous commitments to ship; members shall endeavor to protect those other birds that have been shipped in a healthy state by responsible fanciers.

310.12 AU members shall not release birds in training or in races in weather conditions, which make orientation or homing excessively difficult (such as in times of heavy fog, rain, snow, hail, strong head winds or similar detrimental weather conditions).

310.13 When necessary, humane culling is the duty of any animal owner: AU members shall try to cull their birds in as discrete and as humane a manner as possible.

310.14 No club shall impose arbitrary restrictions or capricious limitations to exclude an AU member from participating in club activities or races.

310.15 Clubs shall issue accurate diplomas, race results and award applications in a timely manner.

310.16 AU organizations shall ensure that they afford “due process” to every AU member in all disputes and disciplinary matters.

310.17 AU Resolution on Pigeon Shoots, The American Racing Pigeon Union, Inc. acknowledges the faithful and honorable services rendered to our nation and the US military as messengers in four wars by the ancestors of our pedigreed racing homing pigeons. The direct descendants of those valiant heroes are used today in national competition by hobbyists who maintain reserve lofts and stand ready to serve our national again in the event of a national emergency or disaster.

The American Racing Pigeon Union, Inc. does not support, foster participation in, nor condone the senseless mass killing of pigeons, doves, or any other animal, in those organized events advertised as “sport shooting contests,” and popularly known as “pigeon shoots,” common in various regions of the United States. The Union is on record as speaking out against the shooting of any species of domestic pigeon, domestic dove or other bird related, however remotely, to the species commonly bred and trained as racing homing pigeons. Our organization condemns further, the killing by poisons or mechanical entrapping devices, maiming, disfigurement or physical abuse in any form of any registered, banded bird.  (added August 18, 1995)

310.18 AU members shall make every effort to recover, care for, and find the owner of any found or stray banded bird.   They will not trap, harm or remove any leg band or other identification from any bird that is not theirs. (Exceptions are birds found dead) (added  7-06)

310.19 AU Resolution on Raptors.  The AU does not condone the harassment or unauthorized trapping of hawks, or falcons.   Any AU member found guilty in a state or federal court of law of illegally using a trap for the purposes of trapping hawks or falcons shall be barred from flying competitively in any AU-sanctioned race for one year, followed by five (5) years of probation.  If additional violations occur, membership will be terminated.

(Added 7-10-07)