Irvine animal coach and his girlfriend arrested in reference to demise of 10 canine

An Irvine animal coach and his girlfriend have been arrested Thursday night time after police related the couple to the demise of at the very least 10 canine — with 9 believed to have perished on a single day.

Kwong “Tony” Chun Sit, 53, of Irvine, was arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty and destruction of proof, based on the Irvine Police Division. Sit’s girlfriend, Tingfeng Liu, 23, of Vista, was arrested on suspicion of the identical costs.

Shortly earlier than 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, a pet proprietor reached out to the Irvine Police Division to report that their canine coach despatched a message saying their canine had died in its sleep and had been cremated, based on a information launch.

“The one household reached out to us [and] thought it was sort of suspicious that their wholesome canine died with this coach,” mentioned Kyle Oldoerp, a spokesperson for the Irvine Police Division.

The division’s Animal Companies Unit started investigating and shortly realized it wasn’t a single canine. The tally rose to 10, and officers are looking for extra potential victims.

One canine died final week and was cremated, with the stays now with the household, Oldoerp mentioned.

It seems 9 different canine died on or round Wednesday, based on Oldoerp.

The deceased canine have been taken to a number of crematoriums and Oldoerp mentioned he believed police have been capable of retrieve all of their our bodies.

Irvine police mentioned they’re working with veterinary professionals to carry out necropsies to find out how the canine died.

“If all of them died of an unintended poisoning, or one thing that was all the identical, then it’s like, OK, perhaps that is unintended,” Oldoerp mentioned. “But when it’s not, they usually’re totally different causes, then that would take us down a unique path.”

Even when the deaths are decided to be unintended, it doesn’t imply the costs will likely be dropped.

Oldoerp likened the scenario to a father or mother endangering a toddler’s welfare by leaving them in a automotive — with out malicious intent.

“He’s nonetheless accountable for the well-being of those animals,” he mentioned.

Oldoerp added that it seems the couple sought to destroy proof by trying to cremate the canine.

In accordance with Irvine police, Sit labored all through Southern California beneath totally different firm names, together with “Pleased K9 Academy.”

House owners of canine that seem to have died whereas in Sit’s care took to Instagram to name for justice for his or her canine.

Aimee Gutierrez mentioned on Instagram that her household rescued a 9-month-old Belgian Malinois three weeks in the past from the pound and named her Saint. In accordance with a Thursday submit, they despatched Saint to a coach however have been knowledgeable by textual content that she had handed away.

“Saint deserved higher,” she wrote. “She was supposed to come back house to a lifetime of love, security and second possibilities. I’ll by no means cease combating for her — and for the opposite animals whose voices have been taken away too quickly.”

Those that have data associated to the case or whose canine died within the care of coach Sit are requested to contact rsteen@cityofirvine.org