California Dog Trainer and Girlfriend Face Felony Charges After 10 Dogs Found Dead in Their Care

Irvine, CA — A Southern California dog trainer and his girlfriend have been charged with multiple felonies after at least 10 dogs died under their watch — and authorities say the couple tried to cover it up.

Kwong Chun Sit, 53, ran a business under the names “Happy K9 Academy” and “K9 Training Services,” offering obedience training for pet owners across the region. Some clients paid as much as $3,400 for his services, trusting him with their dogs for weeks at a time. Now, Sit is facing 11 felony charges, including animal cruelty, abuse by a caretaker, and destroying evidence. His girlfriend, 23-year-old Tingfeng Liu, is accused of helping him conceal what happened and faces additional charges as an accessory.

The investigation began earlier this year when a heartbroken pet owner contacted police after Sit casually told them their dog had “died in its sleep.” But the story didn’t add up.

As detectives dug deeper, they uncovered a disturbing pattern. Police say Sit and Liu attempted to cremate several dogs’ bodies at multiple locations to avoid suspicion. Investigators believe most, if not all, of the dogs died on the same day.

Authorities are now working with veterinarians to perform necropsies on the animals. While the final results are still pending, early findings suggest that some of the dogs may have died from heatstroke or physical trauma — indicating possible abuse or serious neglect.

What shocked investigators even more was how Sit conducted his business. He didn’t operate out of a licensed facility. Instead, he used parks, other people’s properties, and private homes to train the dogs — often changing his business name to avoid scrutiny.

Both Sit and Liu were arrested while allegedly preparing to flee. They are currently being held on $550,000 bail each.

Irvine Police are urging any other pet owners who may have used Sit’s services to come forward. Officers believe there may be more victims out there who don’t yet know what happened to their dogs.

This case has deeply rattled the local pet-owning community, many of whom are now questioning how such a tragedy could go undetected for so long.