FOREST GROVE, Ore. -- A man and woman under investigation for allegedly attempting to euthanize their 13-year-old dog with a hammer have been arrested on animal abuse charges.

Hyrum Long, 75, and his daughter, 49-year-old Susan Johnson, were arrested around 8:15 p.m. Monday by Forest Grove police.

Long was charged with felony aggravated animal abuse in the first degree. Johnson was charged with animal neglect in the first degree, a misdemeanor. Both were released from jail Tuesday morning with no bail.

Johnson is now set to appear in court on Nov. 7 for arraignment. Authorities said Long would likely have his first court appearance Nov. 10.

Forest Grove Police Capt. Aaron Ashbaugh said a necropsy report from the Oregon Humane Society indicated the dog had suffered from a chronic skin disease, body sores from lying down for prolonged periods of time, long-term malnutrition and chronic starvation.

Ashbaugh said there were also indications the dog had not eaten for at least four to five days.

Long admitted he made a terrible mistake when he tried to euthanize his daughter's dog by hitting it over the head with a hammer last weekend.

Long and his daughter, Susan, were charged after they hit their Labrador mix, Molly, on the head with a hammer and then buried her up to her neck in their back yard.

Long told KGW Monday he thought the dog had cancer.

Family members previously told KGW they didn't have the money to pay to euthanize their dog.

But on Monday Long said his daughter had been afraid to take the dog to a veterinarian due to concern she would be accused of animal abuse.

He said they were trying to put it out of its misery and that when they buried Molly they thought she was dead.

But a neighbor later heard the dog yelping and called 9-1-1.

Forest Grove Police responded Friday afternoon to a report of a dog buried alive at a house on Laurel Street. The father and daughter were not at the home when police arrived; they had gone out to dinner.

Capt. Ashbaugh said police entered the back yard and found the dog buried up to its neck with an obvious head injury.

Long and Johnson claimed at the time they'd buried Molly in a hole "in an apparent attempt to limit the amount of blood on their property," Ashbaugh said.

Police said the two put a pillow under the buried dog’s head and put a large log on top of it. A neighbor apparently removed that log before police arrived.

Officers dug Molly out of the ground -- she was still alive -- and Washington County Animal Control took her to the Humane Society.

Spokesperson Barbara Baugnon said the 13-year-old dog was in extreme pain and in terrible condition when she arrived.

"She couldn't lift her head but her eyes were following people around the room; obviously she was suffering," Baugnon said. "It's one of the worst cases I've ever heard of."

Baugnon said they decided the only "humane thing to do" was euthanize the dog. She could not comment on whether or not the dog had been sick before coming in.

Baugnon said places like Dove Lewis Animal Hospital will euthanize animals free of charge and so will some veterinarians, depending upon the situation.