Thirty three of the animals have been seized from a farm owned by the woman, who has not been identified.
The Thurston County sheriff's office says the farm owner has a history of not properly caring for her animals. When officials found them, the woman's alpacas were dehydrated and had parasites and foot pad rot from constantly standing on wet ground.
Cross Creek Alpaca Rescue noted on their Facebook page that several of the animals were scored at the lowest possible body condition score for alpacas. Basically they were walking skeletons under all this matted, wet fur.
"It was a very serious situation," said Shari Bond with Cross Creek Alpaca Rescue. "This whole heard runs the gamut, everything is wrong with these animals."
Cross Creek Alpaca Rescue has placed the herds in four foster homes while the farm owner faces multiple animal cruelty charges. Investigators say four alpaca carcasses were found on the woman's property.
Bond said one of the alpacas was so sick that the vet said it had only days to live before being rescued.
As the case is under investigation, Cross Creek Alpaca Rescue is in need of medical supplies and feed to bring the gentle, furry creatures back to good health.
"It's just very difficult to see them, but we know now it's nothing but good ahead of them," Bond said.
The farm owner already has an open animal cruelty case in Pierce County. Investigators say the specific charges will be considered when the alpaca's blood tests come back.
(KOMO News - March 24, 2016)
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