Code of Conduct for the pigeon sport in South Africa

We, the pigeon fanciers of South Africa, pledge to promote and support:

1. The well-being of pigeons
2. Pigeon racing and fancy pigeons as a sport
3. Good governance and the promotion of ethical behaviour in our sport.

We undertake to promote the well-being of pigeons by:

1. Practising the right to keep domestic pigeons, to show them and to fly in races
2. Promoting animal rights and eradicating any animal cruelty practises
3. Ensuring the good health and physical well-being of pigeons
4. Establishing an improved understanding of the quality of pigeons, the distances and conditions under which pigeons should fly, loft conditions, training programmes as well as nutritional and health requirements that are scientifically based;
5. Promoting sound and ethical breeding practises and loft management, and by
6. Exercising, showing and racing pigeons based on the norms and standards set for our sport by the South African National Pigeon Organisation.

We undertake to promote pigeon racing and fancy pigeons as a sport by:

1. Promoting human dignity, human rights and the right of pigeon fanciers to exercise the sport
2. Promoting a value-based and ethical approach to the sport with an emphasis on honesty, integrity, courtesy, fair play, joy of effort, care for others, excellence, friendship and respect
3. Treating the public with respect and to fetch lost birds and to assist other fanciers to do so.
4. Promoting trust, good relationships, participation, social cohesion and resilience
5. Promoting youth development and support for vulnerable groups including women and children, the elderly and the disabled
6. Supporting active citizenry, no discrimination and transformation in and of the sport
7. Promoting club development and good organisation and management
8. Strengthening national, provincial and district structures and institutional arrangements
9. Promoting scientific research for evidenced based decision-making
10. Promoting capacity building, training, debate and dialogue on scientific findings
11. Supporting technological advances, innovation and opportunities to development the sport

We undertake to achieve good governance, ethics and a value based approach by promoting:

1. Good cooperative and corporate governance in the sport with a particular emphasis on cooperation, coordination, accountability, transparency, and sustainable development.
2. The separation of the strategic and administrative functions in the governance of our sport and to establish clear roles and responsibilities for pigeon organisations in this respect at the National, provincial and local (district) levels.
3. Good relations with Government, private sector, NGO’s and donor organisations
4. SASCOC , Provincial Sport Councils and District Sport Councils
5. SANPO and affiliated provincial and unions as well as federations and clubs
6. Cooperation from local authorities to support the approval of pigeon lofts at residences that meet the required standards.
7. Racing pigeons as a healthy sport that is self-regulated and value-based;
8. Good leadership and high quality strategic and business planning
9. Good communication and a marketing and communications strategy
10. Funding mobilisation and the promotion of minimum cost increases to support struggling fanciers and vulnerable groups
11. International relations and cooperation and support for good governance and ethics and norms and standards of the sport internationally.
12. The spiritual, emotional and social happiness and well-being of our pigeon community.