International Animal Rescue

What International Animal Rescue does

International Animal Rescue (IAR) is a UK-registered charitable organization founded in 1989, headquartered in Uckfield, East Sussex, with affiliated entities in the United States (501(c)(3)) and the Netherlands. The charity operates wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and release programs across four project countries — Indonesia, India, Armenia, and Costa Rica — delivered through long-standing strategic partnerships with in-country implementation organizations: YIARI (orangutans, slow lorises, macaques, established 2007), Wildlife SOS (sloth bear sanctuary, since 2000), FPWC (Armenian brown bear rescue, since 2017), and IAR Costa Rica (howler monkey rescue, since 2016). Beyond direct animal care, IAR runs habitat protection, reforestation, community empowerment (notably the Power of Mama all-female forest protection program), advocacy campaigns (Stop The Shocks, Not Pura Vida), and educational outreach programs.

The organization has no proprietary technology platform or software product; its core assets are field-based rescue centres, veterinary capability, and a multi-decade content library documenting conservation outcomes (over 600 sloth bears rescued ending India's 400-year dancing bear tradition, over 250 orangutans rescued with 80+ released, over 100,000 trees planted, and an estimated 70 million tonnes of carbon emissions prevented through habitat protection). Revenue is generated entirely from donations, with streams spanning individual giving (one-time and recurring via "Friends of IAR" and "Guardians of the Forest" monthly programs), symbolic animal adoptions, corporate partnerships (PayPal Give at Checkout, eBay for Charity, 1% For The Planet, GoPro for a Cause, Good-Loop), legacy/bequest giving, merchandise and event-based fundraising (Kilimanjaro climbs, Rainforest Run, gaming livestreams), and major philanthropic grants — most notably over £7m cumulative from the Michael Uren Foundation including a £3m grant in 2019 to secure a 95,000-acre peat forest in West Kalimantan. The organization reaches supporters through a multi-channel digital strategy covering social media, email, content marketing, events, and a global volunteer Community Ambassador network.

Name

International Animal Rescue

Legal name

International Animal Rescue

Website

https://internationalanimalrescue.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

International Animal Rescue is a UK-registered international animal welfare charity (founded 1989) delivering wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and habitat protection across Indonesia, India, Armenia, and Costa Rica through in-country partner organizations, funded by individual donations, corporate partnerships, and philanthropic grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Uckfield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individual supporters who contribute to general operations or specific projects. The organization operates a 'Friends of IAR' monthly giving program.
2. Adoption Program: Virtual animal adoption programs where supporters pay to symbolically adopt an animal and receive updates, certificates, photos, and plush toys.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Partnerships with corporations who provide funding, pro bono services, or donate a portion of sales. Includes PayPal Give at Checkout, eBay for Charity, 1% For The Planet members.
4. Shop and Merchandise: Online shop selling merchandise including event registration for challenges like Cakes for Apes, Step up for Bears, Rainforest Run, and Kilimanjaro climbs.
5. Legacy Giving: Bequests and legacy gifts from supporters who leave donations in their wills. The organization was founded on a legacy gift received in 1988.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

International Animal Rescue operates field-based wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and release programs across Indonesia, India, Armenia, and Costa Rica through in-country strategic partners, alongside habitat protection, reforestation, and community empowerment initiatives. Its donor-facing offerings consist of symbolic animal adoptions, one-time and recurring donations, organized fundraising events, corporate partnerships, legacy giving, volunteer placements, and free educational resources for schools. The organization is funded entirely by donations, grants, and bequests rather than product or service fees.

Product overview

International Animal Rescue operates a portfolio of interconnected animal welfare and conservation programs across four countries: Indonesia (orangutan, slow loris, and macaque rescue), India (sloth bear sanctuary), Armenia (brown bear rescue), and Costa Rica (howler monkey wildlife rescue). The core offering includes symbolic animal adoptions, donations, fundraising events, and volunteer opportunities, supported by corporate partnerships and legacy giving programs. Projects span direct wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, habitat protection, community engagement, and environmental restoration. The organization functions as a charitable nonprofit without a unified software product, instead operating field-based conservation initiatives funded through supporter donations and partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Friends of IAR: Monthly donor community program supporting ongoing conservation projects
• Guardians of The Forest
• The Great Bear Rescue
• This is NOT Pura Vida
• Power of Mama
• Stop The Shocks

Products and services

• Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Core field-based rescue, veterinary care, rehabilitation, and release program for wild animals including orangutans in Indonesia, sloth bears in India, brown bears in Armenia, and howler monkeys in Costa Rica. Delivered through in-country strategic implementation partners.
• Animal Adoption Program Symbolic animal adoption program allowing supporters to adopt resident animals (orangutans, bears, howler monkeys, sloth bears, Armenian brown bears, slow lorises, macaques) and receive updates, certificates, photos, fact sheets, and plush toys.
• Donations One-time and recurring donation platform supporting all organizational projects globally, including specific appeals for the Great Bear Rescue, Urgent Fire Crisis Fund, and Costa Rica equipment needs.
• Fundraising Events Organized fundraising events including Cakes for Apes, adrenaline challenges (skydiving, abseiling), running events, Step up for Bears 55-mile walk, Kilimanjaro climb, and the Rainforest Run, with event registration fees supporting conservation programs.
• Volunteer Program On-site volunteering opportunities at partner sanctuaries including the Agra Bear Rescue Facility in India, plus Volunteer Community Ambassador roles for remote supporters who organize events, connect with businesses, and represent IAR locally.
• Educational Resources Free age-appropriate lesson plans, presentations, and assembly plans for primary school students (EYFS to Year 6) covering orangutan conservation, deforestation, and habitat protection.
• Corporate Partnership Program Bespoke corporate partnership program offering cause marketing, employee engagement, project visits, and sustainability credentials for businesses aligned with conservation values. Integrations include PayPal Give at Checkout, eBay for Charity, 1% For The Planet, GoPro for a Cause, and Good-Loop ad-based donations.
• Legacy Giving Program Bequest and legacy gift program allowing supporters to include International Animal Rescue in their wills, including free will-writing services through National Free Wills Network (UK) and FreeWill (US).
• Friends of IAR Monthly Giving Monthly donor community program supporting ongoing conservation projects across the organization, with regular updates on conservation work worldwide.
• Guardians of the Forest Monthly Giving Monthly giving program funding forest protection initiatives in Indonesia, providing donors with field stories and impact updates on rainforest and orangutan habitat protection.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 250 orangutans rescued and over 80 released back into the wild
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• YIARI (Yayasan Konservasi Indonesia Raya)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic implementation partner since 2007. Runs orangutan rescue and conservation centre in West Borneo, slow loris rehabilitation centre in Java, and macaque rehabilitation. Has rescued over 260 orangutans and 1,200+ slow lorises. Develops holistic conservation strategies involving communities, government, and NGOs.
• Wildlife SOS (India)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner since 2000. Created the Dancing Bear Project to end the 400-year practice of dancing bears in India. Runs bear sanctuaries in Agra, Bangalore, and Bhopal. Also operates elephant hospital in Uttar Pradesh. Over 600 bears rescued and provided lifetime care.
• Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) - ArmeniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner since 2017. Collaborated to launch The Great Bear Rescue project to liberate captive bears from tiny cages in private collections. Rescued over 50 brown bears and working toward rescuing all captive bears in Armenia.
• IAR Costa Rica (previously Refuge for Wildlife)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner since 2016. Operates Sir Michael Uren Wildlife Rescue and Education Centre in Nosara. Responds to wildlife incidents including electrocution of howler monkeys. Socializes and releases troops back to wild.
• Animal Protection AgencyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation conducting research into impacts of wildlife trade on animals, biodiversity, and disease transmission risks. Conducts awareness raising programs on the pet trade.
• British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization dedicated to rescue and well-being of marine animals in distress around the UK. IAR CEO Alan Knight is Chairman of BDMLR.
• Orangutan OutreachminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides invaluable support to IAR's work in Indonesia by raising funds and awareness through an extensive adoption program.
• Wildlife Rescue Ambulance Service (WRAS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFront line rescue service for sick, injured and orphaned wildlife across East Sussex, UK. IAR works with WRAS due to proximity of headquarters.
• MeridianminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFirst and only UK nut butter brand to achieve Palm Oil free certification. Dedicated to a more sustainable planet and eco-conscious consumerism.
• Amplitude MediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFull-service creative marketing agency helping spread IAR's mission through pro bono creative work including film, photography, animation, and design.
• Horizon MediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides campaign advertising support to raise IAR's brand awareness in the US through digital, OOH, radio and TV channels.
• PayPalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGive at Checkout experience connects IAR with consumers shopping online. Since launching in 2019, PayPal has converted more than 1 million users into first-time donors.
• GoProminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGoPro for a Cause programme provides cameras, financial support, video producers and content distribution to create compelling content posted on GoPro's global social channels.
• Posh TottyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHandmade jewellery brand based in Brighton and London, passionate about the planet and becoming a net-zero carbon business.
• Good-LoopminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRaises money for IAR by using ads to deliver social impact, creating meaningful relationships between brands and consumers.
• WikilocminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndependent community sharing authentic outdoor trails worldwide, believing in a future where humanity enjoys and preserves the outdoors.
• 1% For The PlanetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConnects businesses committing to donate at least 1% of annual sales to environmental charities including IAR.
• GCI Films - OZI Voice of the ForestminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIAR is the official charity partner of the feature animation film OZI Voice of the Forest.
• eBayminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributoreBay for Charity platform allows sellers to donate a portion of sales to IAR.
• Waste Paper SolutionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollects and shreds confidential paperwork from homes and businesses across south east England while giving back to local charities.

Scale indicators20 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS): Major international conservation organization running field programs across wildlife protection, habitat conservation, and species recovery; broader in scope (includes zoo operations) but highly comparable in conservation field work and donor-funded structure.
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): One of the largest global wildlife conservation organizations operating across habitat protection, species conservation, and policy advocacy; directly comparable to IAR's multi-country wildlife rescue and habitat protection mission, though at vastly greater scale and scope.

Direct peers

• Wildlife SOS: India-based animal welfare organization operating bear sanctuaries, elephant hospital, and conservation education; both strategic partner and peer to IAR's India operations with overlapping rescue and sanctuary mandate.
• International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW): International nonprofit focused on animal rescue, wildlife conservation, and policy advocacy across multiple continents; closely comparable in mission, donor-funded model, and global field operations.
• Orangutan Foundation International: Nonprofit dedicated to orangutan conservation, rescue, and habitat protection; closely comparable in species focus, sanctuary operations, and donor-funded international program model.
• Four Paws International: International animal welfare organization running bear sanctuaries, wildlife rescue, and campaigns against wildlife trade; directly comparable to IAR's Dancing Bear Project legacy, brown bear rescue in Armenia, and global field operations.
• Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF): Indonesia-based orangutan rescue, rehabilitation, and release organization; directly comparable to YIARI/IAR's West Borneo orangutan program, including lifelong care for non-releasable orangutans and habitat protection.
• Born Free Foundation: UK-based international wildlife charity operating animal sanctuaries, conservation projects, and policy advocacy; comparable in mission, geographic footprint, and focus on captive wildlife rescue and habitat protection.
• World Animal Protection: Global animal welfare nonprofit operating across wildlife protection, disaster response for animals, and advocacy against animal cruelty; highly comparable in international scope, rescue focus, and donation-driven model.
• Save the Orangutan: Danish-registered international nonprofit supporting orangutan rescue and rainforest protection in Borneo and Sumatra; directly comparable in species focus, partner-funded in-country operations, and global donor base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/iar_updates
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AnimalRescueVideos
• Facebookfacebook.com/internationalanimalrescue
• Instagraminstagram.com/international_animal_rescue
• TikToktiktok.com/@int.animalrescue?lang=en
• Pinterestpinterest.com/intanimalrescue
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/internationalanimalrescue

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries4 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 International Animal Rescue