An Irvine couple operating a dog training service was charged with multiple felony counts Monday involving the deaths of at least 11 dogs, with some of the animals being cremated before they could be examined.
Kwong “Tony” Chun Sit, 53, of Irvine and his girlfriend, 23-year-old Tingfeng Liu of Vista, were arrested last week, both on suspicion of animal cruelty and destruction of evidence, according to an Irvine Police Department news release. One of the victim’s owners tipped off authorities a day before the couple’s arrest. They said they’d received a message from the trainer saying their dog had died in its sleep and been cremated.
“The one family reached out to us [and] thought it was kind of suspicious that their healthy dog died with this trainer,” Irvine police spokesperson Kyle Oldoerp told The Times last Thursday.
Upon investigating, the department’s Animal Services Unit found more than one canine victim.
The Orange County district attorney’s office confirmed in a news release Monday that at least 11 dogs died in Sit’s possession. All of the bodies, including those cremated, were recovered.
Investigators found that two dogs died from heatstroke, and one died from blunt-force trauma. Two dogs were cremated before they could be examined, and the remains were later turned over to the owners.
At least six animals have pending necropsies, prosecutors said.
Authorities believe the couple dropped off the first dog at a crematorium on June 13. By June 18, the total number of dead bodies rose to 11.
“Our dogs love us unconditionally, and to have someone who advertised himself as a dog lover who would treat his clients’ dogs as his own be not only responsible for the deaths of these pets but then to enlist his girlfriend to cover up the animal abuse is beyond repulsive,” Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer said in a statement. “No animal deserves to be killed and then tossed aside like a piece of garbage. The abuse of any animal will not be tolerated.”
Sit, who operated the dog training service K9 Academy, faces 30 counts: 11 felony counts of animal cruelty, 11 felony counts of animal abuse by a caretaker, seven misdemeanor counts of attempting to destroy evidence, and one misdemeanor count of destroying evidence.
Liu, who is believed to have helped Sit drop off the dogs at the crematoriums, faces four counts: one felony count of accessory to a felony, one misdemeanor count of destruction of evidence, and two misdemeanor counts of attempted destruction of evidence.
The couple remain in custody in lieu of $550,000 bail. The bail amount was increased after prosecutors said the couple were packed and ready to flee before they were arrested.
Sit faces a maximum sentence of 13 years and Liu four years if they are each convicted on all charges, according to the Orange County district attorney’s office.
K9 Academy offered a variety of training programs, such as one to four sessions on behavioral training ranging in price from $999 to $3,999. The Irvine Police Department said there could be more victims given that Sit operated under different company names throughout Southern California.
Anyone with information related to the case or whose dog died in the care of trainer Sit are asked to contact rsteen@cityofirvine.org.
This story originally appeared on LA Times
