Members, Students, MAR Graduates, and K-9 Handler Students
Code of Ethics
Purpose: To protect the Missing Animal Response industry, the Missing Animal Response Network (MARN) has developed the following Code of Ethics that all MARN members, graduates, and students (including lost pet recovery and K-9 Handler students) agree to abide by.
- MARN members, graduates, and students shall protect and promote the interests, welfare, and safety of the animals they work for and with.
- MARN members, graduates, and students shall protect and promote the interests of the pet owner/guardian to the best of their ability and knowledge recognizing that the owner/guardian has placed their trust and confidence in the MARN person. MARN associates will strive to treat owners/guardians fairly, wisely, and in an efficient and proper manner.
- MARN members, graduates, and students shall endeavor to maintain and increase their level of knowledge and training regarding new equipment, technology, techniques, and developments in the MAR field as applicable to their level of training and responsibility. MARN associates have an obligation to advance their knowledge and skills in lost pet recovery work so that they can better assist the community through their services.
- MARN members, graduates, and students shall uphold the honor and dignity of the lost pet recovery profession and avoid business associations with any individual or enterprise of questionable character or apparent conflict of interest.
- MARN members, graduates, and students who work or are training a MAR search dog (or another animal) shall be honest and knowledgeable about their dog’s/animal’s abilities and will not give false expectations or hopes about what their search animal can accomplish. MARN associates shall promptly disclose any limitations that they or their search dogs/animals have (i.e. dog not trained in a particular discipline, time-lapse that affects scent conditions, etc.) to the owner/guardian who hires them.
- MARN members, graduates, and students shall never give misleading information or make false statements about their services, abilities, success rate, or their background. For example, any MARN associate who claims his/her dog can track a scent trail that is outside of what current scientific testing proves is possible or is beyond the capabilities of what is considered acceptable within the search-and-rescue dog training community (i.e. claims that their dog can track a scent trail that is several months old) will not be allowed to associate themselves with the Missing Animal Response Network.
- MARN members, graduates, and students may charge a service fee, accept a donation for their search effort, or volunteer their services at no charge. They are free to accept a “reward” if a pet owner offers it, but MARN associates shall not adjust their service fees based on how much money is offered as a reward.
- MARN members, graduates, and students shall be free to market their services but shall not make unmeasurable, excessive claims about their abilities or the abilities of their search dogs/animals. For example, a MARN member could promote that their search dog has a 55% success rate (if this is documented) in recovering lost cats but they should not claim that they have “the best tracking dog in the world.”
- MARN members, graduates, and students will remain professional and shall not openly or publicly talk negatively about other MARN associates, lost pet recovery volunteers, professional pet detectives, or lost pet recovery institutions. MARN associates will be professional and courteous at all times. Any rude, arrogant, malicious or dishonest behavior will be grounds for revocation of all MARN affiliations. Also, they shall maintain the confidentiality of all non-public MARN content, postings, and communication (no screenshots or sharing of MARN social media or intellectual property).
- MARN members, graduates, and students shall make every effort to maintain and improve their professional services, integrity, and reputation.
- MARN members, graduates, and students shall at all times be a positive and professional representative of the Missing Animal Response Network. This includes only the appropriate use of MARN content and posts in restricted groups and pages. Their actions reflect on the integrity of MARN, the integrity of other MARN members, graduates, and students, and the entire lost pet industry. Any unprofessional or negative conduct or behavior will be grounds for revocation of MARN association or may impact future membership and association with MARN.
Any potential violations will be reviewed by the MARN Ethics Committee. The discipline procedures will be followed and there is no appeal beyond that listed in the procedures. No funds paid for membership or training will be refunded if disciplinary action is taken.
MARN Ethics Committee members shall be selected by the MARN administration.
Documented ethics complaints, investigations and remedies shall be kept on file by the MARN administration indefinitely.
