Owners Seek Their Pets' Remains From Tulsa's Pets At Peace

Pet owners who thought their animal's remains were to be cremated by a Tulsa company are demanding answers after the bodies of more than 40 animals were found burning on an Okmulgee County gravel road near Beggs.

The owners who were promised their dogs' remains now feel they've been left high and dry.

Several dog owners say Pets at Peace hasn't returned their calls. They say they want answers about where their dogs are so we made calls to try to get to the bottom of this.

Valarie Corvin spends most of her days loving on her dogs. She was devastated last week when 13 year old Maximus died from pneumonia.

"It was an unexpected passing," said Valarie Corvin.

Corvin says earlier this year she used Pets At Peace to cremate one of her other dogs, Nico Blue.

"I thought that leaving Max with him, he'd be in good hands," said Valarie Corvin.

But now she's not so sure.

An Okmulgee County Sheriff's deputy found the remains of more than 40 dogs burning in the middle of a rural road. Tags on the animals show they came from Phil McArthur's Tulsa crematory, Pets at Peace.

9/25/2013 Related Story: Dozens Of Pets Improperly Cremated In Okmulgee County

McArthur tells us he didn't know about the burning of the animals because he subcontracted the work since he was moving locations and fell behind on orders.

9/26/2013 Related Story: Pet Cremation Shop Owner Apologizes For Making 'Bad Hiring Decision'

"I don't think there are words for something like that. For people who don't have children, like me, my kids [dogs] are my children, so for something like that, that's just inhumane," said Valarie Corvin.

Corvin was supposed to get Max's remains back this week. She says she tried to call McArthur, but he hasn't returned her calls.

"We need to hear from him. I need to hear it from him. If he could just call me and tell me, we're behind, I apologize. This is what the situation is. We will have Max located and have him back to you in this amount of time," said Valarie Corvin.

Bryon Raleigh is also frustrated with the crematorium. His dog, Missy, passed away on September 10th, just two days before deputies found the burning dogs.

"I pictured Missy being tossed into the pile and set on fire," said Byron Raleigh.

Raleigh says the vet told him it would take up to two weeks to get her ashes back.

"That's what we're hoping that perhaps she's still on hand at the crematory. That he hasn't got to her yet, but he won't return a call," said Byron Raleigh.

I spoke with the Pets at Peace owner over the phone. He told me he is behind and has not yet cremated Max, but he said Missy is in an urn and is ready for pick up.

About an hour after I got off the phone with him, Byron Raleigh called me excited because he got word that his dog's ashes were ready.

McArthur said his company had contracted with a man who said he would take care of the backlog but the man went back on his word. McArthur said the man was eventually arrested in connection with what happened.