The Story of Paction's Co-founder, Brooke

8 minute read

In summer 2021, I found myself in a busy plaza parking lot in North Toronto waiting for someone whom I had never heard of to meet me. I had never even spoken to this woman, despite attempting to put my contact from the breeder through the wringer with as many questions as humanly possible leading up to this day. But in that moment, I was so incredibly excited that I didn’t even realize how shady the exchange actually was, and I didn’t care. Within minutes, I was handed the most adorable little guy, whom I would dedicate that whole summer to bonding with.

My journey into pup parenthood has been one of the most fulfilling ventures of my life to-date. My little guy has taught me a lot about being grounded in true contentment and about what really matters in life. Although the entire experience has been so rewarding, I also feel the need to open up and speak my mind about some of the pitfalls that I encountered along the way. These pitfalls are serious in nature and seemingly so pervasive, that shortly after progressing through the stages of puppyhood with my little guy, I knew I had to do something about it. And now, three years into my journey as a pup parent, I realize how far away I was initially from fully grasping both the awareness and the commitment required to do this well. If I am really truthful, not many aspects of my decision making process entering into this commitment were the most well-informed. Looking back, I would have done a bunch of things very differently if reliable, accurate information was readily accessible, and if there was a more standardized process to help guide me through this journey.

The decision to bring home a pup can be initiated from a wide variety of thought processes. Are you inspired by the experience you had with your childhood dog? Did your bestie just get a cute puppy? Has it always been your dream to foster or rescue a pup? Do cute photos of a particular breed constantly pop up on your feed? However embarrassing this is to admit, my journey began because I was frankly just incredibly curious about the experience as I had never had a dog in my home growing up. During my decision making process, it felt like everyone around me was getting a pup during Covid lockdown cycles. Luckily, today my pup lives a great life! But, having said that, I’m not a hundred percent proud of the way I have made all of the decisions leading up to now, and I certainly recognize that under different circumstances, things could have taken a much less favourable path. While it doesn’t feel right to judge the motivation of a pursuant pup parent, there could be a far better process for deciding to embark (or deciding not to) on this exciting, but serious journey of commitment. 

Choosing to adopt from a rescue is generally considered an admirable thing to do and many potential pup parents are inspired to make a difference this way. Rescues and shelters are often struggling with funding, struggling with staffing, and sometimes have to rely on volunteers. So, the process can feel disorganized and arduous for the consumer and may even push a potential pup parent towards a more impulsive route like jumping online to search for a pup. I actually applied to a rescue initially, filling out copious amounts of very detailed personal information, all just to never hear back. Juxtaposed to this rigorous and somewhat unreliable process was the well-known option to pick up a pup on Kijiji almost immediately. My journey into pup parenthood didn’t end up following either of these paths, but even during my process, the contrast between these options struck me as puzzling and utterly bizarre. I now have a clearer understanding of how this terribly fragmented market does such a disservice to both potential pup parents and to the pups themselves. 

Not only is the pup market fragmented, but it's also a very divisive environment. When that sort of divide and judgment persists, it also allows for misinformation to exist, making the market more vulnerable to scams and scalpers. When the terminology commonly used in the community is vexatious and is used without a clear consensus on definitions, the consumer is left to use other proxies in the decision making process. It’s hard not to notice that critical phrases such as a “backyard breeder” or an “unethical breeder” are applied to a wide variety of situations, sometimes drastically different from how these terms are colloquially applied in other settings. When a lay person hears the adjective “unethical” they automatically assume the dogs are being mistreated or living in squalor. Amid all this confusion, how does someone without extensive industry experience make a good decision? Maybe one judges the quality of an online website? Maybe one merely judges the friendliness or communication style of a breeder? Maybe one is swayed by the rescue pup’s life story? None of these serve as adequate substitutions for the information required to make the right decision. It’s hard not to notice that a lot of the messaging doesn't add up and one’s impression has a lot to do with who you happen to speak to first, and who happens to sway your definition of what’s positive or negative in this community.

So, how does one actually make the decision to bring home a pup? First, you should decide if you are ready for pup parenthood altogether. These initial considerations include asking yourself things like whether or not you have the time it takes on a daily basis, the patience for training, the budget required for ongoing expenses, and should include an upfront assessment of what one’s life may bring over the next decade while you are responsible for the pup. Some of these decisions come with a level of risk and uncertainty. Afterall, it’s very difficult to predict what your life will look like over the course of the next decade. No one knows for certain, but one’s intentions should align with the very best for your potential pup. Otherwise, you probably shouldn’t pull the trigger. Those questions seem fairly straightforward, but soon after enters the very confusing process of deciding where to get your pup. While deciding on the right breed for you and your family is also a more logical process, choosing the right breeder becomes a lot more convoluted. It’s one of those single-trial learning experiences with large consequences. Who becomes an expert in choosing a breeder? Or, a shelter or a rescue? No one. And, that’s because you do it once, or at most, a few times in your lifetime. 

The blame-and-shame game for where a pup parent gets their pup overshadows the need for transparency of information that should be readily available to everyone who is considering bringing home a dog. Misunderstandings and stereotypes about both breeders and rescue dogs exacerbate divisions and create more confusion for the consumer. Breeders are often unfairly lumped into a category of puppy mills or considered “unethical” if genetic lineage is not diligently tracked. Rescue supporters may be the most divisive of the bunch and yet, potential pup parents also hold stereotypes about behavioral and health issues associated with rescue pups. It’s too bad, because being judgmental is just about the best way to push people away from one’s cause, even if it is truly an admirable one. Remember, that even rescue pups find themselves in unfit homes too. Dogs get returned or surrendered to shelters regardless of where they are acquired. 

From a logical outside perspective, it seems obvious that good rescues and good breeders both hold a place in the puppy world.  And, ideally, both should help us make better decisions when it comes to choosing the right path. Promoting education, responsible breeding and ownership practices, and cooperation between these groups, will all help bridge some of these divides and promote better decision making by potential pup parents. 

Why Paction?

The timing is right to accelerate progress for regulations and standards for pups and for awareness and education for potential pup parents. In December 2023, there was new Ontario legislature proposed as a first step to addressing and recognizing some of the issues in this unregulated space. However, activists and experts believe it’s not enough and that there aren’t adequate resources available to enforce the proposed standards. But, it’s a start.  And, it’s done a lot of educating and spreading of awareness to the general public about some of the issues that persist in the breeding world. 

At Paction, our top priorities are to educate prospective pup parents and to enable pup providers to more easily manage their workflow so that they can direct their efforts to what matters most - providing the right care for pups and properly screening the homes their pups  are going to. 

In this day and age, all consumers expect certain digital marketing standards and most people have lots of experience shopping online. By creating standardized, yet customizable profiles and an equal-opportunity tech impression on Paction’s platform, pup providers will be judged on the quality of their reviews, their knowledge, due-diligence, communication and compassion, rather than on the appearance of their website. Pup providers are not experts in digital marketing and website development, nor should they be. In fact, a common tactic for online scammers is to throw up an impressive looking landing page with adorable stolen or stock photos and proceed to trick consumers into sending them deposits for pups that don’t exist. An accountability-based marketplace which makes it impossible for these scams to occur is long overdue. 

Importantly, Paction also strives for this accountability-based platform to level the playing field between ethical breeders, rescues and shelters. If the process is more standardized between the different options, potential pup parents won’t flock to breeders merely because it’s the path of least resistance. Paction aspires to uphold the three values of accountability, transparency and integrity to ultimately improve the lives of pups across Canada.