SEVILLE, FLORIDA: A 65-year-old Florida man was arrested for animal cruelty after he allegedly starved his four horses for ‘years’, resulting in the euthanasia of one of them. The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said that they responded to a call on July 19, at 2520 Duncan Road, where they found two mares in a temporary enclosure without grass.

The mares were a tan Palomino and brown and white paint, and they were extremely emaciated and lethargic, with their bones visibly pointing under their skin. One of the mares had dug a hole and was lying on the ground, deputies said as reported by FOX 35.

All four horses suffered from malnutrition

As per the statement from Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, they also found two other horses in a separate pasture at the Florida man's property that were slightly underweight. All four horses suffered from malnutrition and a lack of medical care, including eye, dental and hoof care. The deputies were able to seize the horses with the owner’s permission and took them to Doctor Cindy Merrick, a veterinarian. The homeowner, Wayne Prevatt, 65, told deputies that he had fallen on "hard times and was unable to care for the horses," but deputies say that the horse’s condition has likely been deteriorating over "several months or years," as mentioned in the statement which they also shared on Facebook and Twitter.

The Florida man was arrested on July 26

The Florida man, Prevatt was arrested on Wednesday, July 26, on a warrant and transported to the jail where he was released on a $6,500 bail. The horses have been receiving around-the-clock veterinary care at an undisclosed facility in New Smyrna Beach. However, the two mares found were in pain severely overgrown hooves, dehydration and infections. On July 22, a vet reported that one of the mare’s conditions had worsened and she had to be euthanized, deputies said. The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office also shared a video from the pasture revealing animals surviving in bad conditions. As they helped them out the horses whose bones were visible struggled to walk.

The second mare remains in critical condition

The second mare remains in critical condition but is improving daily, the sheriff's office said in the statement. The other two horses are also recovering well. The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said that they are grateful for the public’s support and donations for the horses’ care. They also urged anyone who suspects animal abuse or neglect to report it to their office or animal services. "No excuse for this treatment and of multiple animals! I hope the owner is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Hard times fall on everybody. That is when you sell these animals or find them a proper rehome. What this person did was cruel and criminal!" People reacted to the video asking for harsh punishment for the Florida man on Facebook. "Thank God these poor horses have finally been rescued!!! Poor babies. Thank you, VSO, "one user wrote heaving a sigh of relief. However, another questioned, "The punishment for animal neglect and cruelty is nowhere near harsh enough."