After many years of neglect, the forgotten animals of the abandoned cat colony in Beamsville are finally getting the attention and the care they deserve.
Many neighbors have been reporting the negligence for years to the local Humane Societies, OSPCA, and even bi-law office and have never gotten the help these poor cats needed! The caring neighbors have even brought down the injured cats to the societies to try to get help with no success.
Thanks to the caring neighbours they did not give up and contacted us and we contacted the Media!
Niagara This Week – July 25th 2017
CHCH Live Coverage -August 1, 2017
CBC News · Posted: Aug 09, 2017.
Merritt Colony July 2017
News of the abandoned cat colony in Beamsville went viral on social media, the community was filed with rage, tears and willingness to open hearts for these animals.
On July 13th, Leslie at Animal Assistance of Niagara contacted Pam, founder of Beamsville 4Paw Rescue, requesting to go on-site and check out an abandon colony and see if we could help. When Pam and other volunteers from our rescued arrive at 4241 Merritt Road, Beamsville, it was like they walked into a nightmare, the cats swarmed the car, starving, and begging for food. Fortunately, they brought plenty of food , and began feeding the poor creatures, who had not been fed in months. Looking at the run-down disgusting house and barn, they seen at least a hundred cats. Most of the cats were friendly, including kittens as young as 4 weeks old, all had serious injuries and wounds, missing eyes and could hardly stand from starvation and dehydration.
On, July 15 -Received authorization from the property owner Amhad Terjyab Noore, who was renting the property to Ms Odette Koziak. Members of Beamsville 4Paw Rescue, as well as Dinah who is an independent rescue were on-site almost 14 hours a day strategically laying out food, professionally gathering and trapping in hope to catch the hurt and injured cats/kittens. For 6 weeks, the volunteers from Beamsville 4Paw Rescue had a daily ritual of arriving at the property at 5am place down the traps in hopes of catching the cats and getting them to the vet office to get the care they needed. Each day at 9am they contacted the humane society to see if they were coming down that day to help, gather evidence and pick up the many dead bodies that we found. Everyday no call was returned nor did anyone show up. The humane society did return our call, they advised us that they were stray cats and would not be coming to help or take the dead animals we found, nor would they assist in catching the cats, or provide vet assistance or funds. They advised us that we can dispose of them the dead, and that their would be no investigation.
Cat found in hallway in the house
On July 26th, Finally Inspector Andrea Bergers from the OSPCA arrived at the location, and spoke with Ms Huson, stating that there would be no investigation as they have recognized the cats are strays and not owned. Huson offered to show the dogs tied to the car in the garage, barrels of the cats that were purposely placed in there to suffocate and die. Neighbors, vets and on-site volunteers offered many photos of the years of neglect that these poor animals endured, but she would not even take the photo’s or the evidence. Ms Huson, was shocked and pleaded with her and suggested that even if they were strays, that the very least, Ms Odette Koziak should be charged with animal cruelty. Ms Bergers and the other agent that was with her step out of the car walked about 20 feet, turn around and drove away, they did not even go look in the barrels or around the grounds.
Ms Huson spoke to the neighbors and shockingly, the person responsible for all this carnage and suffering was already well known to local animal cruelty investigators. This property, which Ms Odette Koziak rented, was, in fact, already part of an investigation by the Lincoln County Humane Society (LCHS) that had been going on since at least December 2016 – an investigation it appears they mishandled, allowing for the suffering and deaths of hundreds of cats. We can’t let this crime remain uninvestigated and unprosecuted, Ms Huson, contacted CHCH to get involved in hopes of getting justice for these poor cats.
On July 27th CHCH contacted Inspector Andrea Bergers and Kevin Strooband, Executive Director at Humane Society and they stated that they are, in fact, going to start an investigation. Immediately, the neigbours and Ms Huson contacted them once again offering evidence and ask them when they would come down to the site to gather the evidence they need. Once again, they refuse to come down to the property, but did ask us to email them photo’s and information.
Beamsville 4Paw Rescue was extremely happy that the OSPCA said they opened up an animal cruelty investigation, but they did not believe that these poor animals would ever receive their justice.
Neighbours have been reporting the colony for approximately a year and a half now, but no action has been taken. The property owner, who worked closely with Beamsville 4Paw Rescued , offered the house keys to the OSPCA and begged them to go in the house to see the mess, but they refused. Our endless calls and pleads to have an investigation to be open went unheard and only when we went to the media did they state they would open an investigation. You have to ask yourself, If the SPCA never stepped foot on the property, or came to gather evidence, how are they doing the investigation? Was there even an investigation?
Kittens rescued with wounds and starvation
Huson, Nichol and other volunteers rescued 90+ cats /kittens within 6 weeks. A total of 153 dead cats and 4 deceased dogs, all deceased have been cremated and properly laid to rest in the pet cemetery at Gateway. Huson shares, “We believed the animals deserved a proper burial as they didn’t get a chance to live a proper life but will be buried with love and respect. ” Before removing and bring the deceased to rest, both Nichol and Huson spoke to Andrea Bergers for approval and to ensure they were not impeding their investigation. The request was approved.
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September 2017 Rags to Riches – Many Cats are healed and have been adopted
“Found His “Forever Home”
Despite the grueling six weeks spent every day on the 11-hectare property, this story has a happy ending, says Huson, People have opened their homes and adopted these beloved cats that deserve so much love. The adoption event was very successful and within 1 week most have found homes and the older ones that needed socializing were adopted by our fosters.
Huson, who has been doing animal rescue since 1998, said it’s easy to get hardened by the horrors she has witnessed over the years. “However, this situation showed me how strong and dedicated our volunteers can be, and wonderful our community is,” Many people have donated money and raised close to $8,000 to help pay our $25,000 vet bill, donated food and litter, while local veterinarians have done what they can to help with cutting costs for their care”.
August 18, 2017 09:00 AM EST
LCHS (Now called Humane Society of Greater Niagara) and OSPCA announced on 610 CKTB on that their investigation was closed and no charges were laid against Ms Odette Koziak. The reason they closed the investigation was lack of evidence. Beamsville 4Paw Rescues, the community and everyone that followed this story were devastated but not shocked, since how can they get evidence from a desk.
2023 – If you drive to 4241 Merritt Road in Beamsville today all you will see are fields, the barn and the house is now torn down and many have forgotten this terrible tale. Ms Huson still finds herself drawn back there, to her it doesn’t feel like she’s will ever leave the site completely as it will always be in her heart, thoughts and nightmares.
Andy at 12 Weeks, after 4 surgeries
Ms Huson adopted Andy, a terrified 5 weeks old kitten and last kitten to be rescued. Ms Huson recalls Andy sitting under the house, crying but would not come out while anyone was around. Their cameras showed Andy dragging his back leg to the food bowl. Ms, Huson tried many traps but Andy would not go in, and finally after 4 weeks Andy started to trust Ms Huson, dragged himself from the house for food where Ms Huson was able to rescue him. Andy had a broken leg, dislocated jaw, many wounds and was severely dehydrated and starving. Since it would be a long recovery, Ms Huson took him home where she can provide the care he required, and Andy won Ms Huson heart, and she gave him a “Forever Home”
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Aug 2023- You can see from Video Below Andy has grown into Ms Huson Baby
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What Was Done / What you can Do Today!
OLD Laws – According to the court process an inspector may consult with a Crown attorney before laying a charge if he or she has collected what is believed to be enough information to pursue a criminal charge under the Criminal Code of Canada or the Ontario SPCA Act. Under the Ontario SPCA Act, penalties include a maximum fine of $60,000, a lifetime ban on owning an animal and up to two years in jail.
As you can see it would be essential to gather enough evidence to have charges laid. We shared only one case, the Merrit Colony of how the SPCA gathered evidence but there is many more in the Niagara Region that sadly were dismissed because of lack of evidence.
Marineland – In November 2016 and January 2017, the OSPCA received a complaint from a former employee through the animal rights organization Last Chance for Animals. The OSPCA filed some charges against the park in late 2016 and early 2017, but all of the charges were withdrawn by government prosecutors later that year for lack of evidence.
Dr. Mahavir Rekhi –The Crown dropped all 16 criminal charges against a St. Catharines veterinarian who was seen on camera choking and punching animals at his clinic in 2016. Dr. Mahavir Rekhi was filmed choking, punching and restraining animals at his Skyway Animal Hospital over the course of three years. The main reason, Lack of evidence. Watch the Video and you decide!
Beamsville 4 Paw Rescue started a petition , which has more than 10,000 signatures. It can be found at change.org.
Our goal was to improve animal cruelty investigations in the Lincoln community. We needed 500 online signatures to bring to the mayor, we received 10,000.
We did make a difference!
On December 5, 2019 the government of Ontario approved Bill 136, which means that the protection of animals will now be regulated through the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act (PAWS Act).
What does this mean?
Animal welfare enforcement is now the responsibility of the government, which means that investigations and other processes can now be held accountable by the public!
WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY!
1. If you see an animal in distress, please contact the Government of Ontario’s Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) team at
1-833-9ANIMAL (1-833-926-4625) or your local police services. If an animal’s life is in immediate danger, call 911.
2.Boycott Marineland Canada- Sign Petition
3. Dr. Rekhi is now in Manitoba using the name Marv Singh. He may be currently employed at a Vet Office Post on Social Media, Keep this story Alive! Our Pets depend on it
4. Ms Odette Koziak – We are still following her around as she is getting pets of Kiji and leaving them behind, some dead! After then Merritt Colony she moved into Golden Horseshoe Estates in Beamsville. Ms Koziak was evicted leaving 9 cats behind, Cats were rescued and again SPCA was notified, no charges laid. Ms Odette Koziak, relocated to Niagara Falls, Lundy’s lane in a hotel, once again adopted pets from Kiji and when evicted left cats behind. A local rescue did rescue the cats. As of 2023, Ms Koziak is living in Brampton we are looking for an updated photo and address. Please pass this story around so people will stop adopting her pets off Kiji.
Thank you, for all of your love and support ❤
