OVIEDO, Fla. -- Animal rescuers called it one of the worst cases of neglect they'd ever seen, but now they're calling it an amazing recovery. The SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) said an abandoned horse was flourishing in their care and gained 35 pounds.

Channel 9 introduced the public to Moe, now named Sunny, three weeks ago. He was just skin and bones. He's still a little skinny and boney, but he was doing much better Tuesday.

The Arabian horse has a big heart and a big appetite.

"I am so happy. This has been an unbelievable experience, and Sunny has made it a wonderful experience. And it could have been very negative, but it's very positive," said Paula Fulton.

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Sunny was found starving three weeks ago behind a Bithlo home. He had been left in a field for months to fend for himself, but Fulton and local animal cruelty officers came to the rescue. Sunny was taken to a new home and the SPCA was still looking for the horse's original owner.

"The last known location of the former owner is North Carolina, and we do have a private investigator looking into that," said Jake White, SPCA.

It has been nearly a month and Sunny is putting on weight and Fulton's veterinarian now says he's only about 25 years old, not over 30 as first thought.

When Channel 9 first met the horse, his name was Moe, but Fulton thought a change would do some good.

"The first day, I started calling Moe 'Sunshine,'" Fulton said. "I'd say, 'Hi, Sunshine,' and I'd be all excited and he'd be excited. And I told somebody I'd call him Sunshine and they said, 'Call him Sunny for short,' and I said, 'That's beautiful!"

The goal is to put about 350 pounds on Sunny. In a few months, Fulton said, you won't recognize him.