A Southern California dog trainer who left 11 dogs locked inside a sweltering van for hours, then cremated their remains in an effort to hide what happened, has been sentenced to more than 10 years behind bars.
Kwong “Tony” Chun Sit, 54, of Irvine, was sentenced Friday to 11 years and 10 months in prison after a June 17 conviction on 11 felony animal cruelty counts, as well as several charges tied to destroying evidence and interfering with the investigation.
Prosecutors said Sit, who ran Happy K9 Academy in Orange County, had custody of the dogs when they were confined in extremely small crates inside a hot van and died.
His girlfriend and alleged accomplice, 24-year-old Tingfeng Liu, was also convicted, facing one felony count of accessory to a felony, one misdemeanor count of destroying evidence, and two misdemeanor counts of attempted destruction of evidence.
Liu was sentenced Friday to three years in county jail for helping Sit in connection with the crimes.
In court, Liu offered a brief apology and attributed her actions to negligence, saying, “I’m very sorry for my ignorance to the law,” while Sit remained silent, pale and looking downward.
Among the dogs killed was one given as a Christmas gift to an 8-year-old boy, chosen from the litter because “he licked the little boy first,” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in an emotional statement Friday.
As the sentence was announced, grieving owners wept and held one another in the courtroom, where dozens of photos of the dogs had been displayed on the walls.
Kwong ‘Tony’ Chun Sit, 54, of Irvine faced the courtroom full of devastated dog owners after -killing 11 dogs in his care, leaving them in cramped cages in a hot van to die, before cremating their bodies in a devious attempt to conceal his crime
Ting Feng Lui also appeared before producing a statement that she read to the court apologizing but continuing to insist she didn’t know the air conditioning was not functioning at the time
The Irvine Police Department said they were initially notified by a pet owner who claimed that they had received a message from their dog trainer saying that their dog has died in their sleep and has been cremated. Pictured: Kwong ‘Tony’ Chun Sit of Southern California-based pet training service, training two dogs
‘It’s a sense of relief that we got the justice we deserved,’ said Aimee Gutierrez, one of the owners.
She added tearfully, ‘quite frankly I don’t think 11 years is enough.’
During the June trial, authorities described the animals’ deaths from heatstroke as entirely preventable.
‘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,’ said Spitzer.
The disturbing case has horrified animal lovers and left families grappling with the loss of beloved pets they wrongly believed were safe in the hands of a professional.
Sit, 54, operated Happy K9 Academy, which offered behavioral training services and overnight boarding. Prices for the services ranged from $999 to $3,399.
The case first began to unravel when suspicious pet owners started questioning explanations they received about the sudden deaths of otherwise healthy animals.
Several owners were reportedly informed through text messages that their dogs had died unexpectedly and had already been cremated before family members had the opportunity to see the bodies, seek a necropsy, or ask questions about the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Kwong ‘Tony’ Chun Sit, 53, and his girlfriend, Tingfeng Liu, 23, face nearly 12 years and three years respectively, for carrying out the heinous murder and coverup of 11 dogs in 2025
Investigators dug deeper into the case and found that Sit had arranged for the animals remains to be transported to a range of crematoriums across Southern California, so as to dispose of the evidence linking him to the crime
On June 18, 2025, one of the dog’s owners received a text message from Sit which 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.’
For many owners, the explanations immediately raised red flags.
According to the dog’s owner, the text also stated, ‘Out of respect, I will refund the full training fee and offer additional compensation. The body has been lovingly cremated, and I will keep the ashes safe for you until you’re ready. Please know my thoughts are with you. If you need anything, I’m here for you. Sincerely, Tony.’
Other owners described being notified with a similar text containing identical descriptions of the deaths.
The Irvine Police Department began investigating the trainer’s business practices after a dog’s owner promptly reported the incident to authorities.
Prosecutors said the dogs died after being left confined inside tiny crates in a van during dangerously hot conditions, causing them to suffer fatal heat-related injuries.
According to investigators, rather than alerting owners or reporting the incident, Sit allegedly embarked on a calculated effort to hide what had happened, assisted by Liu.
As detectives dug deeper, they uncovered evidence suggesting that Sit had arranged for the animals’ remains to be transported to crematoriums throughout Southern California.
One of the text messages owners recieved from Sit during his deplorable mission
As the department’s Animal Services Unit began investigating, they discovered that at 11 dogs had died in the trainer’s care – with nine believed to have died on the same day
Prosecutors alleged that he impersonated pet owners when authorizing cremation services, allowing him to dispose of evidence before families could learn the truth.
Authorities were ultimately able to recover the remains of nine of the 11 dogs before they were cremated. However, two dogs had already been reduced to ashes by the time investigators intervened.
Prosecutors stated that some dogs were found with blood on their faces, fur or paws.
‘These dogs did not die peacefully in their sleep,’ O.C. Deputy District Attorney Danica Drotman said in court.
‘These dogs did have signs of pain and struggle, unlike what Sit told the families, they suffered prior to their death,’ she added.
The dogs were identified as Rosie, Shadow, Ziggy, Miko, Theo, Puffin, Cody, Zoe, Luna, Bang Bang and Saint, according to the Orange County Register.
Among the victims was Rosie, a sheepdog-poodle puppy whose death drew particular attention during the trial.
Evidence presented in court showed Rosie suffered blunt-force trauma in addition to heat-related injuries, according to prosecutors.
Evidence presented in court shows that the dogs suffered physical trauma prior to their deaths
The couple remained in custody on $550,000 bail since last June after prosecutors successfully argued a significant deviation from a lower bail amount after the couple was found packed and ready to flee when they were arrested.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer, blasted the couple for their heinous actions, saying: ‘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, knowing full well that he is the reason that puppy died such a horrific death.’
