OBLIGATIONS AND LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES for Rescues and rehoming organisations  – MANAGING A CHARITY

Setting up a dog rescue

Structures for your organisation:

While animal welfare establishments are generally ‘not for profit’ organisations, they can also take lots of different legal forms such as:

·      A charitable trust;

·      An incorporated charitable trust;

·      An Unincorporated Association

This variation further complicates the legal obligations these organisations and their members may be subject to.

Governance:

Whatever the structure of your organisation, good governance requires the organisation to have a constitution. This is the governing document of the organisation, setting your key aims and objectives, including future plans designed to ensure its medium – long term sustainability.

The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland provide templates for governing documents for all the different forms your organisation may take (i.e. unincorporated associations, charitable companies or charitable trusts).

Once adopted, your organisation’s constitution is a legal document which is binding on the members of your organisation and formal procedures need to be followed to alter it. E.g., if you are a charity you may need to consult the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland and/or inform them of certain changes to your constitution