Pansy’s Pet Charity: the Legacy She Left Was Love
Pansy’s Pet Charity: the Legacy She Left Was Love
“From the time I was born to the time my mom died, I’ve never known my mom to be without a pet, let alone a couple of species of pets. We had everything – dogs were a staple, she had 50-60 dogs in her lifetime, every one of them had been abandoned. We had a goose named Waddles that we would take to the beach with us. We had a tortoise that lived in our bathroom, and even a cockatoo, and these were stray or abandoned animals.”
That’s Jacqueline Fraser, one of Pansy Estrellita Vishnu’s daughters, talking about her mom’s love for animals and how she experienced it growing up. Gwyndeline Vishnu-Pink, Jacqueline’s sister, recalls how her mom would spread that love beyond their family by taking it into her work:
“I got to see my mom’s love for animals through her job as a teacher. I was at the same school as her and saw how animals were brought home from school and rescued, and I watched her educate her students on the importance of appreciating animals and treating them well.”
Following Pansy’s passing in 2022, Roland Vishnu, Jacqueline & Gwyndeline’s father, established Pansy’s Pet Charity Fund in her honour. Held at London Community Foundation, the funds distributed by Pansy’s daughters honour her legacy by supporting others who love and protect animals not just in London and Middlesex, but across Canada and beyond.
Roland Vishnu and Pansy Estrellita Vishnu
Pansy with one of the many dogs she rescued throughout her life
“The gift she left for us, the legacy she left, was love,” said Jacqueline. “We should love all creatures. These are all God’s creatures, and they deserve just as much space in the world as we do.” Unfortunately, animals are receiving less of that respect and space now, with more and more pets being abandoned, as Gwyndeline explains:
“A lot of this is due to the pandemic. People were at home and a lot of them got cats and dogs, but now, when society and the world has returned to a more normal life of being at a job and not being able to work from home, people are realizing that it’s tough to give that time commitment. A lot of these animals are ending up being abandoned because of that, which is very sad because if you sign up for a pet, you should be signing up for life.”
The organizations supported by Pansy’s Pet Charity are often the people there to pick up the pieces after an animal has been abandoned. One such organization is Furever Able, an Ontario-wide charity based in Milton, founded by Ashley Andrews, a teacher who started taking in strays.
Ashley began specializing in dogs born with cleft lips that were discarded by breeders. Puppies born with a cleft lip are unable to suckle and often require round-the-clock care, so Ashley would take the neonatal puppies into her classroom and nurse them between breaks. When she was no longer allowed to do this, Ashely started keeping the puppies in her car while at work—keeping the heat on and making frequent visits between classes and on her lunch break to care for them. This was not a sustainable way to manage their care.
With the help of a $10,500 donation from Pansy’s Pet Charity, Furever Able was able to buy a trailer, known as “Pansy’s Neonatal Trailer,” that Ashley could take to her job with her to increase the time she could spend caring for the animals.
Another beneficiary of the fund is Fur Warriors, a big rescue centre that never shuts its doors, and typically works with bully breed dogs that are abused and given up. “They’re used as bait dogs a lot, dogs that are used to make other animals aggressive, so you can only imagine the injuries some of them have,” says Gwyndeline.
Other local groups Pansy’s Pet Charity supports include Salthaven Wildlife Rehabilitation & Education Centre in Mount Brydges, the Give Them Love Parrot Rescue in Sarnia, and The Parrot Sanctuary in Toronto. Further afield, the fund has also contributed to relocation costs for pets in the Northwest Territories during the Yellowknife wildfires in 2024 through Veterinarians without Borders, and supports international organizations like Paws Across the Water, which rescues dogs from across the world and helps find them happy homes in Canada.
“I hope more philanthropists consider giving to charities that support pets,” Jacqueline said. “While many programs support people, we can forget that animals also need our care. Rescue organizations are overwhelmed, and giving to them can make a meaningful impact while honouring a love for animals you or a loved one might hold.”
Just three years after Pansy’s passing, her daughters have already had a huge impact through the fund that honours their mom’s legacy. Their philanthropic story is one that perfectly encapsulates how Pansy’s values of love, care, and respect work hand-in-hand with London Community Foundation’s commitment to long-term and multi-generational giving.