A well-known animal trainer and his girlfriend have been taken into custody on allegations that at least ten dogs passed away and were cremated while they were in their care.
According to the allegations, an investigation is currently being conducted to ascertain the reasons for the deaths.
On Thursday evening, the Irvine police department made an arrest of Kwong “Tony” Chun Sit, who is 53 years old and lives in Irvine, and his girlfriend, Tingfeng Liu, who is 23 years old and lives in Vista. The charges against them include animal cruelty and the destruction of evidence.
An animal trainer in the region, Chun Sit, became the subject of an investigation after a pet owner phoned the Irvine Police Department to report that their dog had passed away while in his care and had been cremated without their knowledge. Chun Sit was the target of the enquiry.
After beginning their investigation, the Animal Services Unit of the Police Department discovered that at least ten canines had passed away under circumstances that were comparable to those that Chun Sit had been responsible for.
The bodies of a number of dogs have been collected at crematoriums in the area, and necropsies are currently being performed in order to ascertain the manner in which the canines passed away.
“Our priority is determining if the death of the dogs was accidental or intentional,” police officials stated in a news release Friday.
According to the authorities, the fatalities and the manner in which they were disposed of at the crematoriums are regarded as suspicious, which is what led to Chun Sit and his girlfriend being taken into custody.
They are currently being held in the Orange County Jail pending the filing of charges.
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The investigation is still underway, and the authorities are continuing to gather evidence that is relevant to the case from various sources.
Chun Sit is suspected of working with pet owners all around Southern California under a variety of corporate names, including “Happy K9 Academy,” according to the investigators investigating the case.
Anyone who may have information on this investigation is strongly encouraged to send an email to Detective Rebecca Steen of the Irvine Police Department.
