An Orange County judge has sentenced an Irvine dog trainer to nearly 12 years in state prison after 11 dogs died while trapped inside a hot van under his care.

According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Kwong Chun Sit, 54, who operated Happy K9 Academy under the name Tony, was convicted of 11 felony counts of animal cruelty, along with multiple misdemeanor charges related to destroying and attempting to destroy evidence.

Authorities said the dogs were left confined in crates inside an overheated van, resulting in a tragic mass death. Investigators determined that eight dogs died from heat stroke, while one dog died from blunt force trauma combined with heat stroke. Two additional dogs had already been cremated before investigators could determine their exact causes of death.

The investigation began after one pet owner became suspicious when Sit informed them via text message that their dog, Miko, had "passed away peacefully during the night while resting." After learning the dog had been cremated without their consent, the owner contacted Irvine police, prompting a criminal investigation.

Prosecutors said Sit attempted to conceal the incident by disposing of evidence, leading to additional convictions for evidence destruction.

Sit's girlfriend, Tingfeng Liu, 24, was also convicted for helping cover up the deaths. She received a three-year prison sentence after being found guilty of acting as an accessory to a felony and multiple evidence-related offenses.

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer described the case as heartbreaking, noting that one of the deceased dogs had been purchased as a Christmas gift for an eight-year-old child. He said the families were denied years of companionship with their beloved pets because of the trainer's actions.

Sit's attorney argued that the deaths were a tragic accident rather than intentional abuse, saying her client panicked after discovering the animals had died and made poor decisions in the aftermath.

The case has drawn widespread attention from animal welfare advocates and serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of leaving animals in enclosed vehicles during hot weather. Prosecutors said the lengthy prison sentence reflects the severity of the cruelty involved and the efforts made to conceal the incident.