A Southern California dog trainer has been sentenced to more than 11 years in prison after 11 dogs died while in his care inside a hot van.
Officials said the trainer later tried to have some of the dogs cremated and misled their owners about what had happened.
Trainer Convicted in Animal Cruelty Case
Kwong Chun Sit, 54, of Irvine, was arrested in June 2025.
He was convicted last month of 11 felony counts of animal cruelty and several related charges, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
Sit, who also used the first name Tony, operated Happy K9 Academy.
Dogs Were Kept in Crates Inside Hot Van
Prosecutors said the dogs were under Sit’s care when they were kept in crates inside a hot van.
All 11 dogs died.
According to the district attorney’s office, one dog died from blunt force trauma and heat stroke, while eight others died from heat stroke.
Two dogs had already been cremated, so no cause of death could be determined for them.
Owner Was Told Dog Died Peacefully
Officials said Sit sent one owner a text message claiming their dog, Miko, had died peacefully during the night while resting.
He allegedly wrote that there had been no signs of pain or struggle and described the death as unexpected.
However, Miko had already been cremated.
The owner then contacted Irvine police, which led to an investigation.
Prison Sentence for Sit
Sit was sentenced Friday to 11 years and 10 months in prison.
He was convicted of:
- 11 felony counts of animal cruelty
- Seven misdemeanor counts of attempting to destroy evidence
- One misdemeanor count of destroying evidence
Girlfriend Also Sentenced
Sit’s girlfriend, Tingfeng Liu, 24, was also convicted in the case.
Prosecutors said she helped try to cover up the dogs’ deaths.
Liu was sentenced to three years in prison.
She was convicted of one felony count of accessory to a felony, one misdemeanor count of destruction of evidence, and two misdemeanor counts of attempted destruction of evidence.
Families Devastated by Losses
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said one of the dogs that died had been given as a Christmas gift to an 8-year-old child.
The puppy had been chosen because it licked the little boy first.
Spitzer said the families should have had years of memories with their pets, but instead must live with the knowledge that the dogs died trapped in small cages inside a hot van.
Defence Says Deaths Were Not Intentional
Sit’s attorney, Kate Corrigan, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday afternoon.
She previously told NBC Los Angeles that the dogs’ deaths were tragic but not intentional.
Corrigan said the dogs were discovered early in the morning when Sit woke up and that panic took over after he realized what had happened.
Irvine Location
Irvine is located in Orange County, about 35 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles.
The case has drawn attention because of the number of animals killed and the trust owners had placed in the dog training business.
The sentencing of Kwong Chun Sit marks a major outcome in a disturbing animal cruelty case involving the deaths of 11 dogs in Irvine. Prosecutors said the animals died in crates inside a hot van while under the care of Happy K9 Academy.
The case has left families devastated and has raised serious concerns about pet safety, accountability and trust in animal care services.