Gut Aiderbichl

What Gut Aiderbichl does

Gut Aiderbichl is a European non-profit animal welfare organization founded in 2001 by Michael Aufhauser in Henndorf near Salzburg, Austria. The organization operates approximately 30 farms across six European countries (Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Romania, Hungary, and France), with three publicly accessible visitor sanctuaries located in Henndorf, Iffeldorf near Munich, and Deggendorf near Passau. Gut Aiderbichl currently cares for 9,966 rescued animals and has provided lifelong sanctuary to over 9,900 animals since its founding, focusing on species-appropriate care for animals rescued from neglect, abuse, and abandonment rather than rehoming. The core product offering spans animal rescue and sanctuary operations, visitor experiences at the three regional centers (admission fees €7–€15.50), and a portfolio of supporter engagement programs.

The organization generates revenue through a diversified non-profit model combining tax-deductible donations (one-time and recurring), a four-tier animal sponsorship program (€10 to €85 per month) with benefits including free admission and live webcam access, gift donations and gift sponsorships, legacy bequests, and an end-of-life Animal Provision Service that guarantees 24-hour animal collection. Distribution occurs through a multilingual website (German, English, French), online donation processing via FundraisingBox, three physical visitor sanctuaries, group bookings for 16+ visitors, and face-to-face fundraising campaigns conducted by trained external agencies across Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Supporting offerings include the Gut Aiderbichl Academy (educational seminars with rentable seminar rooms) and ancillary visitor experiences such as pony grooming, camel encounters, and the Biggy Express train. The organization is legally structured as a gGmbH (gemeinnützige Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung — non-profit limited liability company) headquartered in Salzburg, with parallel charitable foundations in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, all founded by Michael Aufhauser; Dieter Ehrengruber has managed administration since 2002 and serves as Managing Director across all three foundations.

Name

Gut Aiderbichl

Legal name

Gut Aiderbichl gGmbH

Website

https://gut-aiderbichl.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Gut Aiderbichl is a European non-profit animal welfare organization operating 30+ farms across six countries, with three publicly accessible visitor sanctuaries in Austria and Germany. It rescues and provides lifelong care to nearly 10,000 animals, funded through donations, tiered sponsorships, visitor admissions, and bequests.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Welfare & Sanctuary Services

NAICS

Veterinary Services (54194)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Sanctuaries & Long-Term Care (Farm, Equine, Exotic) (BPAGAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA), Animal Shelters & Rescue Operations (AFAEALAB), Animal Welfare & Advocacy Organizations (AFAEALAC)

Keywords

• Animal sanctuary services
• Animal rescue operations
• Animal welfare charity
• Visitor farm experiences
• Charitable donation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Salzburg

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: One-time and regular donations from individuals; tax-deductible contributions supporting animal rescue operations and sanctuary maintenance.
2. Animal Sponsorships: Symbolic sponsorships for rescued animals starting at €10/month; provides benefits including free admission, webcam access, and merchandise discounts. Sponsorship contributions are not tax-deductible.
3. Visitor Admission Fees: Ticket sales for visits to animal sanctuaries in Henndorf, Iffeldorf, and Deggendorf. Pricing varies by location and visitor category (adults, youth, children).
4. Gift Donations and Gift Sponsorships: Donations made as gifts for occasions such as birthdays or Christmas, with personalized gift certificates. Gift sponsorships provide symbolic animal sponsorship as a present.
5. Legacies and Bequests: Inheritance donations and legacy contributions from animal lovers who include Gut Aiderbichl in their wills.
6. Animal Provision Services: Contractual arrangements for pet owners to ensure their animals receive care at Gut Aiderbichl when owners can no longer care for them.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Gut Aiderbichl is a non-profit animal welfare organization that rescues animals from neglect, abuse, and abandonment and provides them with lifelong sanctuary across approximately 30 farms in six European countries. It monetizes this mission through visitor admission fees at three public sanctuaries (Henndorf, Iffeldorf, Deggendorf), a tiered animal sponsorship program (€10–€85/month), one-off and recurring donations, gift donations/sponsorships, legacy bequests, contractual end-of-life animal provision services, and educational seminars via the Gut Aiderbichl Academy.

Product overview

Gut Aiderbichl is an animal welfare organization (not a technology company) operating three visitor sanctuaries in Henndorf near Salzburg, Iffeldorf near Munich, and Deggendorf near Passau. The core offering consists of animal rescue, sanctuary services, and visitor experiences. The product portfolio includes animal sponsorship programs (with four tiers from €10-85/month), one-off and regular donation programs, gift donations, gift sponsorships, animal provision/end-of-life planning services, and legacy bequests. Supporting offerings include the Gut Aiderbichl Academy (educational seminars) and various visitor activities such as guided tours, pony grooming, camel encounters, children's programs, and event hosting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Animal Visitor Sanctuaries (Henndorf, Iffeldorf, Deggendorf) Three publicly accessible animal sanctuaries where visitors can interact with rescued animals (petting, feeding, pony grooming, camel encounters), join guided tours, ride the Biggy Express train, and participate in children's programs and events. Targeted at families, tourists, schools, and corporate groups across Austria, Germany, and neighboring regions.
• Animal Sponsorship Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 9,900 animals rescued and provided lifelong sanctuary since 2001
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• FundraisingBoxcoreTechnology or IntegrationFundraisingBox provides the online donation payment processing platform for Gut Aiderbichl, enabling secure online donations, sponsorships, and gift donations through their payment system.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Vier Pfoten (Four Paws): Vienna-headquartered international animal welfare organization operating sanctuaries and rescue operations across Europe and beyond. Most directly comparable peer given shared Austrian origin, multi-country footprint, and sanctuary-based operating model.
• Bund gegen Missbrauch der Tiere: German animal welfare organization operating sanctuaries and providing lifelong care for rescued animals. Comparable sanctuary-based operating model with similar emphasis on species-appropriate care in the DACH region.
• The Donkey Sanctuary: UK-based international animal welfare charity operating a permanent-care sanctuary model for equines and other animals across multiple countries. Closely comparable operating philosophy (lifelong sanctuary rather than rehoming) and donor-sponsorship-revenue mix.

Regional players

• Wiener Tierschutzverein (Vienna Animal Welfare Society): Operator of Vienna's largest animal shelter (TierQuarTier), founded over 175 years ago. Comparable Austrian non-profit animal welfare mission and donor base, differing primarily in scale and visitor-sanctuary model.
• Tierschutzverein München (Munich Animal Welfare): Operator of Munich's municipal animal shelter, one of Germany's largest Tierheime. Comparable German non-profit animal welfare operation in close geographic proximity to Gut Aiderbichl's Iffeldorf sanctuary.
• Tierschutzverein für Berlin und Umgebung: Operator of the Tierheim Berlin, one of Europe's largest animal shelters. Comparable municipal-scale non-profit animal welfare operations with rehoming and shelter focus.

Broad incumbents

• PETA Deutschland: German arm of the global PETA organization. Comparable DACH animal welfare fundraising footprint and donor base, though operating as an advocacy organization rather than a sanctuary operator.
• Deutscher Tierschutzbund: Germany's largest umbrella animal welfare organization, representing 740+ local Tierschutzvereine. Comparable on donor base, fundraising scale, and DACH advocacy footprint, though operating as a federation rather than a direct sanctuary operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gut_aiderbichl
• Facebookfacebook.com/GutAiderbichl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gut-aiderbichl-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gut Aiderbichl