Gut Aiderbichl is an animal rescue organization in Austria that got started in 2001 with the rescue of 25 horses. Since then, the organization has grown and has rescued literally thousands of animals: not just horses but also pigs, goats, cattle, sheep and even… Chimpanzees! But there’s more to Gut Aiderbichl’s activities than just rescuing animals. They’ve built a number of centers where people can meet and get to know them. This is an important part of their mission: as the group’s founder Michael Aufhauser put it, “Animals are not objects, but empathetic fellow creatures. They are capable of feeling pain, just as we are.”
Gut Aiderbichl has rescued over 500 bovines and hopes to rescue many more in the future. The group’s most famous rescue took place in 2011. Yvonne, a dairy cow, escaped from a farm in Germany and took to the woods. All attempts to lure her out of the forest failed and the story became an international sensation. A German tabloid went so far as to offer a large reward for her capture! In the interest of public safety, a shoot-to-kill order had been given, but fortunately for Yvonne, this was rescinded. More than three months after her epic escape, Yvonne the cow was finally captured and sent to better pastures at Gut Aiderbichl.
The video we’ve posted below documents the rescue of a bull named “Bandit.” This unfortunate fellow was living a miserable life. His owners had been keeping him in a pen that was way, way too small. Worse still, he was in chains that further restricted his movement. Had Bandit become accustomed to this living arrangement? Nope. When Gut Aiderbichl comes to the rescue, Bandit is genuinely happy, makes sure to thank his liberator, and immediately savors his freedom.
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