TORONTO, Oct. 8, 2026 /CNW/ -- New data from Paction, a Canadian platform focused on responsible dog ownership, reveals a striking trend when it comes to pet loss:

60.8% of puppy shoppers say the loss of a previous dog is their primary motivation to search for a new one^*

The data highlights a largely overlooked intersection between pet bereavement and responsible dog ownership.

"We're seeing the search for the next pup beginning remarkably soon after a loss, sometimes the very next day, and commonly within weeks," says Brooke Acton, PhD, Co-founder of Paction. "The question is whether this is responsible timing for navigating a multi-faceted decision-making process."

Valued at $1.2B globally, the pet end-of-life care industry is experiencing its fastest growth in the subsector of bereavement support at 13.8% CAGR^** in North America.

Grief can lead prospective dog owners to focus on finding a dog that resembles the lost companion or to move impulsively, without considering the emotional impact on decision-making.

A 2023 Canadian study published in Human-Animal Interactions^*** found that losing a companion animal has profound impact on adults:

• 47% reported a decline in emotional health
• 38.1% reported decreased physical activity
• Nearly one-third were hesitant to share their grief

"Paction's data confirms a pattern we experience year after year," says Colleen Rolland, BA, MA, APLB President and Pet Loss Grief Specialist. "Grieving caregivers often rush to get a new dog. People are ready when their late companion brings a warm smile to memory, rather than a feeling of a shard of glass to the heart." 

Paction is giving those who have lost a dog a tool to ask themselves whether they're ready or not with the Pet Loss Readiness Tool.

About Paction

Paction is a Canadian platform designed to make the process of finding and owning a dog more transparent, accountable and responsible. Paction facilitates responsible decisions from the initial search through lifelong ownership.

*Paction survey data is based on anonymized responses collected in 2026 from 6,989 Canadian users. The 60.8% figure reflects respondents who voluntarily provided a reason for beginning their search for a new dog.

**Combined data from Grand View Research and Research Markets (Pet Funeral Services & End-of-Life Aftercare Reports).

***Brown, C. A., et al. (2023). Older adults and companion animal death: A survey of bereavement and disenfranchised grief. Human-Animal Interactions.

SOURCE Paction