The prominent animal trainer and his girlfriend were arrested on charges that at least 10 dogs had died and were cremated while caring for them.
On Thursday night, Irvine police arrested 53-year-old Kuong “Tony” Chunsit of Irvine and 23-year-old Vista Ting Fengliu over allegations of animal abuse and destruction of evidence.
Chun Sit works as an animal trainer in the area and was investigated after a pet owner contacted Irvine police to report that the dog died while sleeping in care and was cremated without her knowledge.
The police station’s animal services squad began an investigation and learned that at least 10 dogs had died under similar circumstances during the care of the Chun Sit.
The bodies of several dogs have been retrieved at a local crematorium, and necropsies are being carried out to determine how the dog died.
“Our priority is to determine whether a dog’s death is accidental or intentional,” the officer wrote in a news release Friday.
The deaths at the crematorium and their punishment are considered suspicious, police said.
Both have been booked at the Orange County Jail to await accusations.
The investigation is still underway and police continue to gather evidence related to the case. Detectives believe that Chun Sit worked with pet owners in Southern California using various company names, including “Happy K9 Academy.”
Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to email detective Rebecca Steen, who is at Irvine Police Station.
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