By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

An Argo pet crematory is planning to move its business to Pelham in the coming months, and likely will be “up and running by April or May,” the business’s owner said on Jan. 23.

The locally owned Pets at Peace pet crematory, which has operated in Argo for the past several years, is planning to move into a currently vacant building on McDaniel Street off U.S. 31 in southern Pelham.

“We are closing on the building next Thursday,” said Troy Bland, who co-owns Pets at Peace with his wife, Julie. “Then we will begin renovations on the building. We should be up and running by April or May.”

Bland, who has co-owned the business since 2011, said he and his wife decided to move Pets at Peace to Pelham to be closer to their home, and said the building off McDaniel Street was a near-perfect fit for the business.

Pelham Mayor Gary Waters said the business will work with local veterinarians to provide cremation services for deceased pets.

“It won’t be like people carrying their dead dogs through the front door to be cremated,” Waters said. “People will broker the service through their vets, who will then work with this business.”

Waters said extremely high temperatures in the facility’s furnaces will prevent smoke and odor, and said Pets at Peace’s setup has been approved by the Pelham fire marshal.

“We actually had some unique issues with this, because all of the city’s ordinances dealt with human remains, not animal remains,” Waters said, noting the facility has already gained proper approval from the city’s zoning boards.

Waters said the business will fill a unique niche in the city’s business community, and said it should not compete with any local existing businesses.

“They are good folks. I think they are going to be a really good neighbors,” Waters said.