FOREST GROVE, Ore. - The Forest Grove man and woman under investigation for an incident in which they tried to euthanize their dog with a hammer, were arrested on animal abuse charges Monday night.

KGW

Hyrum Long and Susan Johnson

Officers from the Forest Grove Police Department arrested 75-year-old Hyrum Long and 49-year-old Susan Johnson around 8:15 p.m., Monday. Long was charged with aggravated animal abuse in the first degree, a felony, and Johnson 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 at 8:30 a.m. on November 7th for her arraignment and authorities said Long would likely have his first court appearance on Monday, November 10th, at 8:30 a.m.

Police spokesperson Aaron Ashbaugh said a necropsy report from the Oregon Humane Society indicated the labrador mix named Molly had suffered from a chronic skin disease, body sores from lying down for prolonged periods of time, and that she had suffered from long term lack of nutrition and chronic starvation.

Ashbaugh said there were also indications the 13-year-old dog had not eaten for at least four to five days.

Earlier in the day Long said 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 the dog on the head with a hammer and then buried her up to her neck in their back yard.

Long told KGW Monday that they 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 told KGW Johnson had been afraid to take the dog to a veterinarian because she was worried that she would be accused of animal abuse.

Long said they were trying to put it out of its misery. He said when they buried the dog, 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, because they had gone out to dinner.

Captain Aaron Ashbaugh said the officers entered the back yard and found a dog buried up to its neck with an obvious head injury.

According to Captain Ashbaugh, the owners later told police that they buried the dog in a hole "in an apparent attempt to limit the amount of blood on their property."

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 the still-alive dog out of the ground and, with the help of Washington County Animal Control, Molly was taken to the Humane Society.

Spokesperson Barbara Baugnon said Molly was in extreme pain and in terrible condition when it arrived.

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

Baugnon said they decided the only humane thing to do was to 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.