Several devastated dog owners are speaking out and demanding accountability after an Irvine dog trainer was charged in connection with the deaths of 11 dogs entrusted to his care.
The Case So Far:
Kwong (Tony) Chun Sit, 53, and his girlfriend Tingfeng Liu, 23, appeared in court on Tuesday, pleading not guilty to a series of charges stemming from a months-long investigation.
Sit faces:
- 11 felony counts of animal cruelty
- 11 felony counts of animal abuse by a caretaker
- 7 misdemeanor counts of attempting to destroy evidence
- 1 misdemeanor count of destroying evidence
Liu has been charged with:
- 1 felony count of being an accessory to a felony
- 1 misdemeanor count of destroying evidence
- 2 misdemeanor counts of attempted evidence destruction
The couple was arrested last month following a probe by Irvine Police, which revealed that 11 dogs had died under Sit’s care at Happy K9 Academy. Authorities say the dogs’ bodies were secretly dropped off at various crematoriums by either Sit or Liu in an apparent effort to conceal the cause of death.
Autopsies revealed several dogs died from heatstroke, and at least one from blunt force trauma.
Dog Owners Speak Out:
In emotional statements at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach on Tuesday, grieving pet owners described the horror of learning their pets had died—only after receiving vague or misleading text messages from Sit.
“On the day we were supposed to pick him up, June 18, I got a message from Tony Sit saying he had been lovingly cremated,” said Mariz Arcangel, who broke down in tears. “I was training him to be my service dog. I’m a veteran.”
Another dog owner, Aimee Gutierrez, said she was expecting a training progress update, but instead received the same devastating message.
Yadira Adan recalled going public on Facebook after receiving no answers and was stunned to discover numerous other victims.
“It was a shock. The most painful part is our kids. They don’t understand what happened. They lost a friend,” she said.
What’s Next:
Both Sit and Liu are currently being held on bail exceeding $500,000 each. Prosecutors argued against any reduction in bail, revealing that the couple was carrying passports to China at the time of their arrest, labeling them a significant flight risk.
Investigators believe there may be more victims and are urging anyone with concerns or relevant information to come forward.
Previous coverage includes:
- Irvine dog trainer, girlfriend arrested after dogs died under their care
- Couple accused of cremating pets without owners’ consent to hide cause of death
As the case moves forward, families continue to mourn the loss of their beloved pets and push for full accountability.
“These weren’t just dogs,” said Arcangel. “They were family.”
