Vision and goals
Even if we've succeeded in protecting animals from us, we have achieved nothing. It's only when we succeed in no longer having to protect them that we will achieve our goal. Then, we will have changed something: US. - Michael Aufhauser
Aiderbichler Vision
The home of rescued animals
Gut Aiderbichl has been working for animals for over 20 years and is a very important institution for animal welfare throughout Europe. Our animal homes in 6 European countries are home to over 6,000 rescued animals that have been saved from a wide variety of situations. We guarantee every animal a safe and secure home until the natural end of its life. There are currently 35 different animal species living on our farms, which are cared for by our animal carers 365 days a year.
Gut Aiderbichl sees itself as a meeting place for people and animals. On our publicly accessible estates in Henndorf near Salzburg, Iffeldorf near Munich and Deggendorf near Passau, you can enjoy nature and tranquillity. And in the midst of our many free-range animals. Get to know our llamas, cattle, goats, peacocks, dromedaries, pot-bellied pigs, raccoons and many other animals. Go for a walk with our donkeys or watch our pigs take a nap. Around every corner you will encounter a very special animal with its own personal story.
Animals’ welfare is our highest priority. Thanks to the support of our donors and sponsors we are able to rescue animals every day and provide them with the best possible care. Animals are our life – for over 20 years.
Aiderbichler goals
Animals are our life
- Animal protection is also human protection
Gut Aiderbichl’s motto is very clear: “We love animals!” Gut Aiderbichl envisions a world in which all living beings live together in absolute harmony. The prerequisite for this vision would be a humanity that unites humans, animals and nature. Ultimately, it is not the animals but the people who benefit most from Gut Aiderbichl. Because Gut Aiderbichl leads people back to their true humanity and teaches them to walk through the world with an open heart and to encounter one another.
- Exemplary attitude
All rescued animals living on the Aiderbichl farms and estates have the right to stay at Gut Aiderbichl until the natural end of their lives and receive the best animal welfare and species-appropriate care. The stables are planned and built according to the needs of our animals. Perception, sufficient space, balanced feed, sun, light, the best medical care, exercise, love, affection and much more are important to us.
- Competence
Gut Aiderbichl has already helped many animals in great need and has a large team of trained animal carers, horse and farmer carers and specialists. The appropriate logistics are also available. We are on duty for our animals around the clock, 365 days a year.
- Sustainability
Our vision includes the long-term preservation of what we have achieved so far, but also the establishment of new capacities for animals in need. This also includes a competence centre where vets, scientists, animal owners and interested parties can find out more. The Gut Aiderbichl Academy is just such a centre. Here, the knowledge that Gut Aiderbichl has acquired over the last 20 years is passed on to people.
- Values
Values such as helpfulness, compassion and humanity have often been lost in today’s world. This makes it all the more important to stand up for them. In dealing with animals, which are completely at the mercy of us humans, we can develop and demonstrate heartfelt compassion.
- Enlightenment / Visualisation
Gut Aiderbichl shares the stories of our animals with millions of people through publications. We use many channels for this: our website, the Gut Aiderbichl magazine, social media such as YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, as well as print media and television. We explain the background and provide knowledge and insights. We do this on our three estates that can be visited as part of our free estate tours and exhibitions. This encourages guests to think and rethink.
- Species protection
For several years now, Gut Aiderbichl has maintained close relationships with institutions that are committed to species conservation on other continents. Based on our practical work, we see a great opportunity to carry out urgently needed work in these countries too. At the same time, we are also committed to the preservation of endangered domestic animal breeds. These include, for example, the Tux-Zillertal cattle, Noriker horses, Zackel sheep, Kune Kune pigs and the Austro-Hungarian Baroque donkey.
- I’m a sponsor of Gut Aiderbichl!
With our many rescued animals, we have taken on a huge financial responsibility. Rescuing and keeping animals also means having the financial means to give these animals a home for life. The support of our members and symbolic sponsors forms the basis of Gut Aiderbichl. The non-profit Gut Aiderbichl foundations in Austria, Germany and Switzerland are entirely dependent on donations, gifts and bequests. With a solid financial basis, we can maintain and expand our foundation farms. Thank you for your support – every euro counts for animals in need.
Protecting animals, providing a home, creating encounters. We rescue animals from emergency situations and give them a loving and species-appropriate home on our home farms. In this way, we can guarantee that they will never have to suffer fear again.
We also see it as our task to bring people closer to the idea of animal welfare. That is why we have declared three of our farms (Gut Aiderbichl Henndorf, Iffeldorf and Deggendorf) to be so-called meeting farms. Here we want to give our vision a space. A space where people and animals can meet in a relaxed and trusting atmosphere. In this way, we ensure that animal suffering is given a face.
Gut Aiderbichl always works in a solution-oriented way. The central building blocks of our work are the active commitment to animals in need, the associated communication and sustainable education and knowledge transfer.
Active animal welfare:
We are actively involved in helping animals in need on a daily basis. Countless animal rescues throughout Europe illustrate our impact in animal welfare. All rescued animals find a new home at our now more than 30 sanctuaries.
Communication:
Broad public relations work is an elementary component of our educational work for the careful treatment of animals. We want to “give a voice to the voiceless”, bring animal suffering into the public eye and thus encourage people to think and rethink.
Knowledge transfer:
Gut Aiderbichl works closely with experts – mainly from the fields of veterinary medicine, agriculture and biology. The knowledge generated in this way directly benefits our animals. But we also pass it on and work continuously to improve the way we treat animals and nature.
The suffering of animals is not a national grievance, but extends throughout Europe. That is why Gut Aiderbichl sees animal welfare not as a national, but an international endeavor. Numerous animal rescues, such as the evacuation of an animal shelter in a war zone in Ukraine, our stray animal project in Romania or the adoption of dogs from America, illustrate our cross-border commitment. The Gut Aiderbichl Animal Welfare Association now has over 30 sanctuaries in 6 European countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Romania, France and Hungary).
Your donation ensures our daily work for the benefit of the animals.
In addition to rescuing the animals, this also includes, for example, their daily care, medical care and treatment, as well as the maintenance and expansion or new construction of the shelters. Our aim is to help animals on a large scale. Thanks to our many supporters, we have succeeded in growing from a small farm in Henndorf near Salzburg (AT) into an animal welfare organization that can take care of over 6,000 rescued animals every day.
But we also use donations for targeted public relations work. Because the thousands and thousands of nameless animals that have to live out their lives in fattening farms or under other appalling conditions have a soul. They feel fear, sadness and pain. But they have no voice to tell their stories. This is our mission at Gut Aiderbichl: we want to give the voiceless a voice. Because in addition to rescuing animals and giving them a home, this is exactly what we mean by “active” animal welfare: continuously working to change public opinion and create a new awareness of animals as living beings and how we treat nature. This was the credo of our founder Michael Aufhauser from the very beginning: “Even if we succeeded in protecting the animals from us, we would have achieved nothing. Only when we succeed in no longer having to protect the animals will we have reached our goal. Then we will have changed something: ourselves.” This is why we bring animal suffering into the public eye.
Yes, we guarantee all animals that move into Gut Aiderbichl a loving “forever home”. However, our dogs and cats in particular often long for a private and safe home. For many people, having their own pet is also a heartfelt wish. That’s why we sometimes place dogs and cats – with a special lifelong foster placement – in a new and caring home. This means that although our dogs and cats are given a new family who take full responsibility for their new protégé, the animal remains an “Aiderbichler” forever.
We are always happy to hear from anyone who would like to support us on a voluntary or honorary basis. If you are interested, please feel free to contact us at any time at info@gut-aiderbichl.com.
