United Rat Standards Affiliation

URS Sharing Rules

URS standards are free for any other club to use as is. Acknowledgement and link-back to NIRO and RFL as the original authors of the standards is appreciated, but not required.

However, clubs outside of URSA who use URS must use the standards as-is, or rename the standards to avoid confusion with the basic URS. No changes that clubs outside of URSA make to the standards in any way affect the basic URS used by URSA. No other club may register their titles with NARR as either URS or URSA Champions/Grand Champions/Distinction of Merit.

URSA Showing Affiliation

The URSA showing affiliation currently only includes the two parent clubs, NIRO and RFL. In order for a new club to show sharing titles, points and NARR champion registration, formal request must be made in writing or email to both clubs.

A vote will then be taken of the Board of both clubs, and unanimous agreement between both clubs* will result in the inclusion of the new club in the showing affiliation.

Benefits of affiliation include: points are shared between all affiliated clubs to accumulate titles, title recognition by NARR, affiliated shows are open to all affiliated club members, shared quarantine and point system.

All affiliated clubs must agree to the following:

To use the point system of:
- 15 accumulated points to URS Champion, including at least 1 section win
- 20 accumulated points to URS Grand Champion, including at least 1 section win
- 3 Champion or Grand Champion progeny to gain the title of "Distinction of Merit" for the Sire and Dam.

Any show with 20 or less rats is considered a "Minor Show" and will not produce any champion (brackets must be downgraded in point worth accordingly.) (3/5/8/10)

Any show with 21-50 rats is considered a "Small Show" and can only produce one champion at "Best In Show" (brackets must be downgraded in point worth accordingly) (3/5/10/15)

Any show with 50-100 rats is considered a "Standard Show" and will produce 1 Grand Champion at "Best In Show" and one Champion at the "Best Buck/Doe" bracket. (5/10/15/20)

Any show with 101 or more rats is considered a "Major Show" and will produce 1 Grand Champion at "Best In Show" and up to five Champions (brackets must be upgraded in point worth accordingly.) (10/15/18/20)

Also, each club must agree to the following Quarantine/Pre-Show Isolation rules as a minimum (rules may be more stringent at each club's discretion, but never less):
- At least 30 days before the day of the show;
- No new rats or rodents may enter the site where show-bound rats are being kept;
- No rats may be bred, pregnant, give birth, or be nursing during the 30 days within that site;
- No rat who leaves the site where show-bound rats are being kept may be allowed back inside;
- Any deaths on site must be confirmed by a veterinarian to be non-contagious in manner

URS New Standard Procedure

Any member in good standing of a URSA Showing Affiliate club may submit a proposal for the showing of any new color, marking or variety to be included in the URS standards. The new color, marking or variety must be distinct from all other standards previously included, and may be rejected if the distinction is not great enough for the judging table.

A proposal must be written and submitted to the Board of Directors of all member clubs. It must include:
1. A full showing standard description, including faults and disqualifications.
2. A genetic description, including a three generation pedigree, which describes the heritability of the new trait.
3. A full written history, including the discovery, breeding history, any potential problems or health issues, and any other relevant information.
4. At least 5 different photographs of the new standard in good, natural light, and at least 5 different photographs of the new standard next to a animal of the nearest related standard for comparison.

There must be unanimous agreement between clubs* to include the new standard as a "Provisional Standard" in URS.

Provisional standards move to full standardization after ten separate specimens have been shown in at least two affiliated club shows.

*"Unanimous agreement between both clubs" means that each member club receives one vote, and the entire affiliation must vote in the affirmative together.