SOUTHWEST RANCHES, Fla. -- The Broward Sheriff's Office Animal Abuse and Neglect Unit is trying to determine who is supposed to be taking care of seven emaciated horses discovered in Southwest Ranches, and who owns the animals.

"They have no food, they are in a very small field, there are seven of them and day by day they are getting thinner and thinner," said Joyce Kutcher, who said she has sadly watched the animals next to her farm slowly starve.

HELP HORSES: If anyone has any information about the horses, or would like to help, call the BSO animal abuse hotline at 954 321-4239, or e-mail Lt. Sherry Schlueter at sherry_schlueter@sheriff.org.

The animals have a water tub, but the hungry horses nuzzle through the sand and weeds looking for anything to eat in the small paddock they are confined to, Local 10's Todd Tongen reported.

"We don't know (who owns them). It could be the person hired to care for them got into a car accident or had to leave town and couldn't find someone to feed them. Right now, we are trying to figure out what the situation is at this time," said BSO's Michael Vadnal.

Meanwhile a Southwest Ranches volunteer firefighter brought some food to the horses Monday.

Local 10 asked local horse veterinarian Dr. Scott Hay to look at the horses and give his opinion on their condition.

"They are in pretty bad shape. A couple of them are already in the process of starvation. Their hip bones and ribs indicate that they are basically eating themselves," said Hay.

"It makes me very angry. If you can't afford horses, then you shouldn't have a horse," said Kutcher.

If anyone has any information about the horses, or would like to help, call the BSO animal abuse hotline at 954 321-4239, or e-mail Lt. Sherry Schlueter at sherry_schlueter@sheriff.org.