KWONG (TONY) CHUN SIT, dog trainer, and TINGFENG LIU arrested after authorities discovered that at least ten dogs died in their care

- California, USA -

The Irvine Police Department announced the arrest of 53-year-old KWONG (TONY) CHUN SIT and his girlfriend, 23-year-old TINGFENG LIU (both pictured).

Police said in a press release that on June 18, 2025, they were contacted by a person who had boarded their dog at SIT’s facility. The person said SIT sent them a message to let them know that their dog had died in his/her sleep and had been cremated.

The department’s Animal Services Unit and patrol officers immediately launched an investigation, and it emerged that at least ten dogs had died while in SIT’s care.

Police promptly recovered multiple dogs at different crematoriums and they are now working closely with veterinary professionals to perform necropsies. Police said: “Our priority is determining if the death of the dogs was accidental or intentional.”

So far, necropsies performed on three of the dogs revealed that two of them died from heat stroke and the third dog died from blunt force trauma. “Two of the dogs were cremated before they could be recovered”, said the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

Necropsies are pending on the remaining six dogs. All but one of the dogs was dropped off at crematoriums on June 18, 2025. The body of the first dog was dropped off on June 13, 2025.

Detectives believe that SIT worked with dogs’ guardians across Southern California under different company names, including “Happy K9 Academy.”

Based on suspicious activity after the incident, including the attempted cremation of the dogs, SIT and LIU were arrested on June 19, 2025, and booked into the Orange County Jail.

SIT was charged with eleven felony counts of animal cruelty, eleven felony counts of animal abuse by a caretaker, seven misdemeanor counts of attempting to destroy evidence, and one misdemeanor count of destroying evidence.

LIU is facing 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 Orange County District Attorney’s Office said SIT and LIU are currently being held in lieu of $550,000 bail each after Orange County prosecutors successfully argued a significant deviation from the $20,000 bail schedule was warranted given the fact that the couple was packed and ready to flee when they were arrested. The couple were ordered to surrender their passports, not have access to any animals, and stay away from the victims’ families.

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement: “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. No animal deserves to be killed and then tossed aside like a piece of garbage. The abuse of any animal will not be tolerated, and we will prosecute this case and every case of animal abuse to the fullest extent of the law.”

The investigation remains active and if you have been notified about your dog’s sudden passing while in SIT’s care, please contact rsteen@cityofirvine.org.  Thank you!

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Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from the press releases by the Irvine Police Department and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. Please note that details may be removed or new information added should updates become available.

In the case of charges being dropped, dismissed, or the case being purged, this article will be rectified accordingly, if official documentation is provided to Voice For Us.

Mugshots provided to Voice For Us by the Irvine Police Department

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