Animals Asia
Animals Asia is a non-profit animal welfare organization founded in 1998, operating three bear sanctuaries in China and Vietnam, and running programs across Asia to end bear bile farming, the dog meat trade, elephant riding, and captive animal cruelty, funded entirely by donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersPlymouth, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Animals Asia does
Animals Asia is a non-profit animal welfare organization founded in 1998 by Jill Robinson MBE, headquartered in Hong Kong with registered fundraising entities across Australia, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The organization's mission is to end bear bile farming and improve animal welfare across Asia. It operates three award-winning bear sanctuaries in Chengdu (China), Tam Dao, and Bach Ma (Vietnam), and has rescued over 700 bears since inception. Beyond bear rescue, the organization runs programs addressing the dog and cat meat trade in Vietnam, captive animal welfare in zoos and circuses, elephant riding tourism, and veterinary capacity building, including a program that has trained more than 7,500 veterinarians across China.
The organization generates no product or service revenue and operates entirely on donations from individual supporters, philanthropic foundations, corporate partners, and gifts in Wills. Donor acquisition and engagement run through a multi-language website (English, French, German, Italian, Vietnamese), social media channels, celebrity ambassadors including Ricky Gervais, Stephen Fry, and Judi Dench, and partnerships with legacy-giving platforms (EveryWill, Octopus Legacy, FreeWill). A dedicated Bear Guardianship program offers donors the ability to name and sponsor an individual rescued bear at $15,000. The core operational technology is the Cooperative Care Program, a behavioral training methodology that trains rescued bears to voluntarily participate in veterinary procedures without anesthesia, alongside the Veterinary Welfare Training Program that integrates animal welfare into veterinary curricula across China.
The business model is structurally tied to bilateral regulatory relationships, most notably a 2017 Memorandum of Understanding with the Vietnamese government to end bear bile farming nationwide, and a landmark pledge from all 60,000 members of the Vietnamese Traditional Medicine Association never to prescribe bear bile. Operations span China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and broader Asia, with programmatic reach into sanctuaries, traditional medicine communities, government policy, and tourism operators such as Yok Don National Park. As a registered charity with no disclosed financials, the organization's scale is inferred from its operational footprint rather than revenue disclosures.
Animals Asia firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Animals Asia
- Legal name
- Animals Asia Foundation Limited
- Website
- https://animalsasia.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Animals Asia is a non-profit animal welfare organization founded in 1998, operating three bear sanctuaries in China and Vietnam, and running programs across Asia to end bear bile farming, the dog meat trade, elephant riding, and captive animal cruelty, funded entirely by donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Animals Asia is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Plymouth
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices9 records
Markets served
Animals Asia business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Donations: Individual donations from supporters worldwide, one-time and recurring contributions to support animal rescue and welfare programs.
- Gifts in Wills (Legacies): Bequests and legacy gifts from supporters who include Animals Asia in their Wills. One in six of the organization's projects are funded by legacies.
- Philanthropy and Major Gifts: Transformational gifts from individual philanthropists, trusts, and foundations at major gift levels.
- Corporate Partnerships: Corporate support including workplace giving programs, brand partnerships, and employee fundraising initiatives.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | Donation-based model - supporters give what they can |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Animals Asia product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Animals Asia rescues bears from bile farms and provides lifelong sanctuary care at three facilities in China and Vietnam (Chengdu, Tam Dao, Bach Ma). The organization also delivers veterinary training programs across Asia, advocates for policy reform to end bear bile farming, the dog and cat meat trade, and elephant riding tourism, and runs demand-reduction campaigns in partnership with traditional medicine practitioners.
Product overview
Animals Asia is an animal welfare charity organization (nonprofit) operating a portfolio of interconnected programs focused on ending bear bile farming, protecting companion animals, and improving captive wildlife welfare across Asia. The core offerings include three bear sanctuaries in China and Vietnam, multiple campaign programs (bear bile farming, dog meat trade, elephant riding), veterinary training initiatives, and ethical tourism experiences. The organization also offers philanthropy programs including Bear Guardianship and legacy giving through Wills, as well as engagement tools like newsletters and donation mechanisms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Bear Sanctuaries
Quantifiable outcome
- 700+ bears rescued from bile farms
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Animals Asia
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Animals Asia technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Animals Asia partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Vietnamese GovernmentcoreHistoric Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2017 committing both parties to ending bear bile farming nationwide, rescuing remaining bears, and providing lifetime care. Animals Asia works directly with policy-makers and public officials at national and provincial levels.
- Vietnamese Traditional Medicine AssociationcorePartnership to promote plant-based alternatives to bear bile. All 60,000 members have pledged never to prescribe bear bile - a landmark shift in attitudes.
- Yok Don National ParkcorePartnership to end elephant riding tourism and run Vietnam's first ethical elephant tourism program. Elephants roam free in forests while visitors observe from respectful distance.
- Elephant Conservation CentrecoreWorking together to protect critically endangered elephants and end elephant riding. Animals Asia provides practical workshops, veterinary advice, and staff training.
- YDV Shelter NetworkcorePartnership since 2013 to elevate animal care standards nationwide. Animals Asia offers training, guidance on rehoming, and emergency assistance.
- EveryWillminorOnline Will writing partner for Australian supporters. Enables leaving legacy gifts to Animals Asia at no cost.
- Octopus LegacyminorExpert estate planners partner for UK supporters. Cost of Will covered by Animals Asia up to £150 for free Will writing.
- FreeWillminorOnline Will writing tool for US supporters. Guides users through creating Wills or trusts in 20 minutes.
- China Association of Zoological GardenscoreLong-term partnership to improve animal welfare standards in zoos across China through training and policy engagement.
- FLIGHT (Indonesia)minorIndonesian organization that rescues and releases trafficked songbirds. Part of Animals Asia's network of regional animal welfare partners.
- Scorpion Foundation (Indonesia)minorIndonesian macaque rescue centre opened in 2022 with support from Animals Asia. Part of regional partnership network.
- Jakarta Animal Aid NetworkminorIndonesian organization that rescues and releases rehabilitated macaques into safe island habitats. Supported by Animals Asia.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Animals Asia competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare): Large international nonprofit focused on wildlife rescue, animal welfare policy, and disaster response for animals. Comparable as a multi-country animal welfare charity with similar donation-based funding and program mix across companion animals and wildlife.
- Humane Society International: Global arm of The Humane Society of the United States, working on wildlife trade, factory farming, and companion animal welfare. Directly comparable as a large multi-country animal protection nonprofit with overlapping campaigns on bear bile, dog meat trade, and captive wildlife.
- WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature): One of the world's largest wildlife conservation organizations, with global programs on threatened species and wildlife trade. Comparable as a large-scale conservation NGO working in Asia on wildlife trade issues, including species relevant to Animals Asia's work, though broader in mandate.
- World Animal Protection: Global animal welfare nonprofit headquartered in London that campaigns against wildlife cruelty, factory farming, and disaster response for animals. Directly comparable as a large multi-country animal protection charity raising funds from individual donors worldwide, with overlapping campaign-style operating model.
Regional players
- Animals Australia: Leading Australian animal protection charity campaigning on factory farming, live exports, and wildlife cruelty. Comparable on nonprofit operating model, donor-funded structure, and multi-issue animal welfare campaigns, though geographically focused on Australia rather than Asia.
- Save Vietnam's Wildlife: Vietnam-based NGO focused on wildlife conservation, including rescue operations at Pu Mat National Park. Closely comparable on geography (Vietnam-focused) and mission on wildlife welfare, though specialized in carnivores and pangolins rather than bears.
Direct peers
- FOUR PAWS International: Global animal welfare organization headquartered in Vienna that operates sanctuaries (including bear sanctuaries) and runs campaigns on captive wildlife, companion animals, and fur farming. Highly comparable to Animals Asia given shared sanctuary model, bear welfare focus, and multi-country advocacy footprint.
- Free the Bears: Specialist nonprofit running bear sanctuaries in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, rescuing sun and moon bears from bile farms and the wildlife trade. Closest direct peer to Animals Asia's bear bile mission, sharing sanctuary operations, rescue logistics, and government engagement in the same region.
- Wildlife Asia: Singapore-registered nonprofit working on Asian wildlife trade issues, including bear bile demand reduction and traditional medicine alternatives. Comparable as a regional NGO addressing the same bear bile trade and wildlife trade advocacy themes as Animals Asia.
- Born Free Foundation: UK-based animal welfare and conservation charity focused on captive wild animals, including bears and elephants, with sanctuaries in India and Africa. Comparable as a nonprofit advocating for wild animal welfare, running sanctuaries, and lobbying against wildlife trade.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Animals Asia social profiles
Digital presenceAnimals Asia financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Animals Asia leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Animals Asia funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Animals Asia M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Animals Asia
What does Animals Asia do?
Animals Asia rescues bears from bile farms and provides lifelong sanctuary care at three facilities in China and Vietnam (Chengdu, Tam Dao, Bach Ma). The organization also delivers veterinary training programs across Asia, advocates for policy reform to end bear bile farming, the dog and cat meat trade, and elephant riding tourism, and runs demand-reduction campaigns in partnership with traditional medicine practitioners.
Is Animals Asia a public or private company?
Animals Asia is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Animals Asia founded?
Animals Asia was founded in 1998. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Animals Asia based?
Animals Asia is headquartered in Plymouth, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Animals Asia make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are gifts in Wills (Legacies), philanthropy and Major Gifts and corporate Partnerships.
Who are Animals Asia's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare), Humane Society International, WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) and World Animal Protection. Regional players are Animals Australia and Save Vietnam's Wildlife. Direct peers are FOUR PAWS International, Free the Bears, Wildlife Asia and Born Free Foundation.
Does Animals Asia have an API?
No public API is recorded for Animals Asia.