COVINGTON, Wash. -- Animal control officers rescued two dozen animals after finding them neglected and grossly underfed on Wednesday.

After receiving a complaint, animal control officers obtained a warrant and searched the Covington property where they found emaciated animals, including calves and a llama with nothing but bones under their skin. They also found several animals that had not survived.

"No meat at all on this animal," said Kim Koon with Pasado's Safe Haven while examining one of the animals.

But to the officers' surprise, the owner of the animals, a 40-year-old man, didn't consider the animals emaciated.

"He thought he was feeding them sufficiently and I said 'I don't think so,'" said Sgt. David Morris with King County Animal Control.

Not all of the animals are emaciated, but many need help. One horse was given an I.V., but still didn't survive.

Koon believes the underfed horses were desperately searching for more food.

"Actually, the trees in that pasture, all the bark had been ripped off the trees, indicating that's what the horses were trying to get nutrition from," she said. "They had nothing else but two trees standing in a muddy pasture.

Pasado's Safe Haven will feed and house the rescued animals while officers investigate.

No charges have been filed and officers say with veterinary care and healthy food, the animals should survive.

Pasado's is looking for foster families to help house the incoming animals until they either return to their owner or wind up in new homes.