A Chattanooga man has been arrested on a charge of bludgeoning his sister's dog to death with a hammer.

Nicholas Kendall, 19, was charged with aggravated animal cruelty.

In the incident on Tuesday afternoon, police were called by Kendall's sister, who said he came into her room and said he had killed her six-year-old Beagle mix Ginger. He said he did so because he did not want to feed her, and he said he had buried her in the back yard of the home on Charlotte Avenue.

The sister said she was scared and went to the home of relatives where she called 911.

Officers found a burial spot in the back yard and dug down to a dog's foot. They also found a bloody hammer.

Police said Kendall cursed at them and refused to answer questions. They said when he was led away he said, "Y'all doin' me like a dog... See what I did there?" and laughed.

An investigator from the McKamey Animal Center dug up the dog and said it appeared it had been beaten to death.

Kendall, who is due in court on Monday, was placed under a $100,000 bond.