Number doubled

Record! Gut Aiderbichl rescued almost 2000 animals

The animal welfare organization Gut Aiderbichl, based in Henndorf (Flachgau), set an "internal record" in 2023. Across Europe, 1913 animals were rescued, more than twice as many as in 2022 with 915 animals. "Never before has Gut Aiderbichl taken in so many animals in one year", Gut Aiderbichl, which was founded by Michael Aufhauser more than 20 years ago, announced on Thursday.

This record number of rescued animals is also due to ill-considered gifts at Christmas and Easter, but also to the fact that keeping animals is no longer affordable, explained managing director and foundation board member Dieter Ehrengruber. An animal needs constant attention and care. After some time, some of the recipients realize that keeping an animal is a lot of work and they no longer want the gift.

"Animal shelters are full, demand is huge"
"The animal shelters are full. The need is huge. We help wherever possible and secure a place for all rescued animals for life," explained Ehrengruber. There are currently over 8,000 rescued animals living on Aiderbichl's 30 or so farms throughout Europe. The number of inquiries that Gut Aiderbichl receives daily by email, letter, telephone or in person is increasing dramatically year on year. Despite rising costs due to high inflation, more animals were taken in last year than ever before. "We have to allocate our resources well. The animals always come first for us."

In 2023, for example, more than 300 sheep and goats were given a new home. Their slaughter had already been planned, but Aiderbichl was able to provide a new barn within a very short space of time, giving all the animals a second chance. "With our work, we not only want to save animals, but also set an example and bring animal suffering into the public eye," Ehrengruber said.