Volusia County animal cruelty arrest follows discovery of malnourished horses, deputies say

FOX 35 News at 5PM

A man in Volusia County is accused of animal cruelty after authorities said he failed to care for his four horses. The horses were malnourished, according to authorities, and two of them had to be put down.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Volusia sheriff’s deputies have arrested a man after they said they discovered four neglected horses on his property, two of which were critically ill and had to be put down.

Wayne Prevatt, 65, of Seville, faces multiple counts, including two felony charges of animal cruelty.

Deputies found the horses in early July and seized them with Prevatt's permission for immediate veterinary care.

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Deputies observed two emaciated and lethargic mares, a tan Palomino and a brown and white paint, in a bare enclosure. Both showed severe signs of neglect, with one lying in a hole it had dug. Two other horses in a separate pasture were slightly underweight, all suffering from malnutrition and lack of medical care.

Prevatt, who admitted falling on hard times, had been unable to care for the horses, though their condition had likely been deteriorating for months or years, according to an arrest report. Since their removal, the surviving horses have received round-the-clock care in New Smyrna Beach.

Prevatt was arrested on June 12 and released on $6,500 bail.