Crown & Collar Institute is being built around documentation, recognition integrity, public trust, ethical stewardship, and responsible nonprofit-aware governance.
People must be able to raise serious concerns in good faith without fear of retaliation, intimidation, harassment, public shaming, threats, or loss of fair review.
At the same time, reporting standards must protect the Institute from false, malicious, misleading, or weaponized accusations.
We're not for everyone. That's intentional.
We’re not for everyone. That’s intentional.
Purpose of These Standards
These standards are intended to support responsible reporting, non-retaliation, documentation, review, and integrity when serious concerns arise.
They may apply to concerns involving
- Financial authority
- Fundraising
- Sponsorships
- Conflicts of interest
- Related-party transactions
- Recognition misuse
- False documentation
- Brand misuse
- Safety concerns
- Youth or family concerns
- Volunteer conduct
- Club or chapter conduct
- Professional or advisory-role claims
- Governance concerns
- Public misrepresentation
- Good standing concerns
Good-Faith Reporting
A good-faith report is a concern submitted honestly, with the belief that the information may be true or important to review.
A person does not have to prove everything before submitting a concern.
However, the person should provide accurate information to the best of their knowledge and should not knowingly submit false, altered, misleading, or malicious information.
Concerns That May Be Reported
Financial or Fundraising Concerns
Unauthorized fundraising, sponsorship claims, donation handling, tax-deductibility statements, event fees, dues, financial-report claims, or money-handling concerns.
Conflict-of-Interest Concerns
Undisclosed financial, family, breeder, vendor, sponsor, professional, advisory, complaint-review, or related-party conflicts.
Recognition or Documentation Concerns
False awards, altered records, misleading health testing, unapproved title codes, badge misuse, fake certificates, or documentation authenticity concerns.
Safety Concerns
Concerns involving children, families, volunteers, dogs, puppies, public events, youth programs, service-dog handlers, therapy-dog teams, or vulnerable individuals.
Governance or Authority Concerns
Claims that a person, club, committee, volunteer, advisor, or group has authority to approve finances, issue awards, approve breeders, bind the Institute, or speak officially without written authorization.
Retaliation or Harassment Concerns
Threats, intimidation, pressure, social media attacks, exclusion, punishment, abusive communication, or unfair treatment connected to reporting a concern.
Non-Retaliation Standard
Crown & Collar Institute discourages retaliation against any person who submits a good-faith concern, participates in a review, provides information, refuses to participate in improper activity, or asks for clarification about authority, records, finances, safety, recognition, branding, or governance.
Retaliation may include
- Threats
- Harassment
- Intimidation
- Public shaming
- Online attacks
- Exclusion from fair process
- Punishment for asking questions
- Pressure to stay silent
- Removal from participation without fair review
- Interference with complaint review
- Interference with good standing review
- Misuse of social media to punish a reporter
- Pressure to withdraw a legitimate concern
No Protection for Bad-Faith Reports
These standards are intended to protect good-faith reporting.
They do not protect knowingly false reports, malicious accusations, edited or misleading evidence, harassment, threats, public defamation, retaliation disguised as reporting, competitive sabotage, personal vendettas, or repeated misuse of the reporting process.
Crown & Collar Institute may review bad-faith reports as conduct concerns.
Reporting Channels
Crown & Collar Institute™ may receive serious concerns through official forms, written communication, designated review channels, or other authorized methods. Until the full secure form system is active, serious concerns may be reported by email.
If a button does not open correctly on your device, email dogsnu@proton.me with the subject line “Crown & Collar Serious Concern Report.”
Information Helpful in a Report
- Name and contact information of the reporter
- Whether the report involves safety, money, children, animals, governance, recognition, or public claims
- Person, breeder, club, committee, volunteer, professional, event, dog, litter, pairing, or program involved
- Date or timeframe
- Description of concern
- Website, social media, flyer, email, message, document, or screenshot reference if available
- Whether immediate safety concerns exist
- Whether money, fundraising, sponsorship, or tax-deductibility claims are involved
- Whether Crown & Collar Institute branding was used
- Whether any retaliation has occurred
- What review or correction is being requested
Review Process
Report Received
Crown & Collar Institute receives the concern through an appropriate form or written channel.
Initial Screening
The report may be screened to identify urgency, safety concerns, financial concerns, governance concerns, recognition concerns, or documentation concerns.
Clarification Requested
More information may be requested if needed.
Record Review
Relevant records, public claims, submissions, communications, authorizations, conflicts, or documentation may be reviewed.
Conflict Review
If the person reviewing the report has a conflict of interest, another appropriate review path may be considered.
Response or Action
Crown & Collar Institute may request correction, pause activity, limit participation, update records, request additional documentation, refer the matter for outside guidance, or take other appropriate action.
Internal Documentation
Reports and outcomes may be retained for organizational, legal, safety, governance, documentation, good standing, and historical purposes.
Confidentiality Limits
Crown & Collar Institute may attempt to handle reports responsibly and limit unnecessary disclosure.
However, complete confidentiality cannot be guaranteed.
Some information may need to be shared with authorized reviewers, leadership, legal advisors, accountants, CPAs, insurance professionals, safety reviewers, veterinary professionals, law enforcement, animal control, child-safety authorities, or other appropriate parties when needed.
Emergency and Mandatory Reporting Boundaries
Crown & Collar Institute reporting standards do not replace emergency services, law enforcement, child-safety reporting, animal-control reporting, veterinary care, court processes, professional licensing boards, tax authorities, or legal counsel.
If there is an immediate safety concern, suspected abuse, criminal concern, child-safety concern, animal-welfare concern, medical emergency, or public danger, contact the appropriate authority immediately.
Whistleblower / Serious Concern Reporting
The full secure reporting form is being prepared. Until it is active, serious concerns may be submitted by email to dogsnu@proton.me or through the Crown & Collar Institute™ contact page. Please include your name, contact information, relationship to Crown & Collar Institute™, the type of concern, the person or program involved, the date or timeframe, a clear description, and any links or references that may help review the concern.
If a button does not open correctly on your device, email dogsnu@proton.me with the subject line “Crown & Collar Serious Concern Report.”
Do not use this form or email for emergencies. If there is an immediate safety concern, suspected abuse, criminal concern, child-safety concern, animal-welfare emergency, medical emergency, or public danger, contact the appropriate emergency service, law enforcement, animal control, child-safety authority, or veterinarian immediately.
Possible Review Outcomes
Received
The report has been submitted.
More Information Needed
Additional clarification may be requested.
Informational Record Created
The concern has been documented for awareness.
Correction Requested
A person or group may be asked to correct wording, claims, records, conduct, or public materials.
Activity Paused
An event, club activity, fundraiser, brand use, recognition display, or participation may be paused.
Good Standing Review
Membership, recognition, listing, leadership, club status, or participation may be reviewed.
Conflict Review
A disclosed or suspected conflict may be reviewed.
Outside Review Recommended
Legal, accounting, CPA, insurance, veterinary, safety, child-safety, law-enforcement, animal-control, or professional guidance may be recommended.
No Action Taken
The report was reviewed and no action was needed or available.
Important Disclaimer
These whistleblower, reporting, and non-retaliation standards are organizational and educational. They do not replace legal advice, employment-law review, nonprofit compliance review, board governance advice, tax advice, accounting advice, CPA review, insurance review, child-safety law, animal-control reporting, veterinary care, emergency services, law enforcement, court processes, or professional licensing standards.
Crown & Collar Institute may update these reporting standards as the organization develops.
Integrity Requires a Safe Way to Speak
Crown & Collar Institute protects its standards by encouraging good-faith reporting, careful documentation, and responsible review.
If a button does not open correctly on your device, email dogsnu@proton.me with the subject line “Crown & Collar Serious Concern Report.”