A California dog trainer has been convicted of killing 11 dogs by leaving them in a hot van for hours, then burning their bodies in an attempt to cover up the crime.
Guilty Verdict
Kwong 'Tony' Chun Sit, 54, who operated Happy K9 Academy in Orange County, was found guilty on June 17 on 11 counts of animal cruelty, along with multiple charges related to destroying evidence and obstructing the investigation. His girlfriend, Tingfeng Liu, 24, was convicted of accessory to a crime, destruction of evidence, and two counts of attempted destruction of evidence.
Details of the Abuse
Sit kept the dogs in small crates in a hot van, where they died of heat stroke. One dog, Rosie, a sheepdog poodle puppy, also suffered blunt force trauma. Sit then impersonated the owners to have the animals cremated, attempting to conceal the true cause of death.
District Attorney Todd Spitzer stated: "The greatest fear dogs have is that you will never return when you leave them behind, and because of the unbelievably cruel actions of Mr. Sit and Miss Liu, that fear became a tragic reality for 11 dogs who will never have the chance to reunite with their families." He added: "There is a special place in hell for someone who abuses animals, and there is an extra special place in hell for someone who could beat a puppy to death and then feign being heartbroken over her death."
Investigation and Texts
The Irvine Police Department began investigating after dog owners received text messages saying their pets had died and been cremated. One owner received a message on June 18, 2025 from Sit that read: "I'm so sorry to let you know that Miko passed away peacefully during the night while resting. There were no signs of pain or struggle, and it was truly unexpected. I am deeply saddened by this loss."
The couple dropped off the dogs' bodies at different crematoriums to avoid suspicion. Sit faces sentencing for his crimes.
