An Irvine animal coach and his girlfriend have been arrested Thursday evening after police related the couple to the loss of life of no less than 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, in keeping with the Irvine Police Division. Sit’s girlfriend, Tingfeng Liu, 23, of Vista, was arrested on suspicion of the identical prices.
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, in keeping with a information launch.
“The one household reached out to us [and] thought it was form of suspicious that their wholesome canine died with this coach,” mentioned Kyle Oldoerp, a spokeperson for the Irvine Police Division.
Irvine police detectives arrested Kwong “Tony” Chun Sit, 53, of Irvine, left, and Sit’s girlfriend, Tingfeng Liu, 23, of Vista, proper, on suspicion of animal cruelty and destruction of proof.
(Irvine Police)
The division’s Animal Providers Unit started investigating and shortly realized it wasn’t a single canine. The tally rose to 10, and officers are trying to find 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, in keeping with Oldoerp.
The deceased canine have been taken to a number of crematoriums and Oldoerp mentioned he believed police have been in a position to 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 unintentional poisoning, or one thing that was all the identical, then it’s like, OK, possibly that is unintentional,” Oldoerp mentioned. “But when it’s not, and so they’re completely different causes, then that might take us down a distinct path.”
Even when the deaths are decided to be unintentional, it doesn’t imply the fees will probably be dropped.
Oldoerp likened the scenario to a mother or father endangering a baby’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.
Based on Irvine police, Sit labored all through Southern California below completely different firm names, together with “Pleased K9 Academy.”
Homeowners 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. Based on 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 dwelling to a lifetime of love, security and second probabilities. 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
