A dog trainer caused the deaths of 11 dogs by leaving them in a hot van for an extended period before attempting to hide the evidence by burning their bodies. Kwong ‘Tony’ Chun Sit, the operator of Happy K9 Academy in Orange County, California, was convicted on June 17 for 11 counts of animal cruelty, as well as charges related to tampering with evidence and impeding the investigation.

His partner, Tingfeng Liu, was also found guilty of accessory to a crime, destroying evidence, and attempting to destroy evidence. The dogs were confined in small crates in the hot van, leading to their deaths from heat stroke. Additionally, one of the dogs, a puppy named Rosie, suffered blunt force trauma.

District Attorney Todd Spitzer expressed outrage over the cruelty inflicted on the animals, emphasizing the tragic reality faced by the dogs due to Sit and Liu’s actions. He condemned the inhumane treatment of the animals, particularly the violence towards a defenseless puppy.

The couple tried to cover up the incident by pretending to be the dogs’ owners to have them cremated. The Irvine Police Department initiated an investigation after the real owners received messages claiming their pets had died and been cremated, which raised suspicions. Sit sent a message to one owner on June 18, 2025, falsely stating that the dog had passed away peacefully.

The authorities uncovered the deceitful actions of the couple, who attempted to avoid detection by delivering the dogs’ bodies to various crematoriums. The investigation revealed the disturbing details of the tragic event, leading to the convictions of Sit and Liu for their heinous crimes.