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Moon Mountain Sanctuary and Rescue grew from actress and animal advocate Dawn Olivieri’s desire to connect people with animals. What began as an idea for shared healing became a hands-on rescue mission, supported by volunteers, donors, and a community committed to giving animals a second chance. Along the way, her Montana fifth wheel has provided a home base for sharing that mission beyond the sanctuary.
Dawn did not set out with a complete plan for a horse sanctuary. Her first ideas included bringing baby animals into hospitals or creating a place where people could spend time with them. The common thread was connection: she wanted to explore what people and animals could offer one another.
As she considered different possibilities, her attention shifted toward animals needing rescue. Then came the horses, and the work took on a new direction.
Dawn describes the process as following her intuition. Rather than waiting for every detail to fall into place, she paid attention to moments that felt meaningful and acted on them.
“I usually put the cart before the horse,” she says, “but in doing it this way, I just follow my heart.”
That willingness to begin before having every answer helped shape Moon Mountain. Each rescue brought new responsibilities, and the original vision developed through the practical work of caring for animals.
For Dawn, caring for a rescued animal involves more than meeting its physical needs. She pays close attention to each animal’s personality and behavior, allowing familiarity and trust to develop over time.
Even naming an animal is a personal process. A name might emerge during a conversation or arrive as an idea that suddenly feels right. These small moments reflect how individually she approaches the animals in her care.
Dawn also sees the sanctuary as a place where people can find purpose through helping. Feeding, caring for, and spending time with animals gives volunteers a direct role in the mission.
She describes that relationship as reciprocal. Animals receive care and attention, while the people doing the work have an opportunity to connect with something beyond their everyday routines. It is central to her vision for Moon Mountain, rather than a promise that every visitor will have the same experience.
Moon Mountain’s work depends on people willing to contribute in different ways. Some help care for animals in person. Others donate, share rescue updates, or introduce the sanctuary to potential supporters.
The sanctuary’s own account of its beginnings describes how Dawn and her social media community crowdfunded the rescue of groups of horses in August 2023. That collective response helped turn her concern into ongoing care. https://moonmountainsanctuaryandrescue.com/
As the work expanded, Dawn recognized that the number of horses needing help exceeded what one sanctuary could accommodate. Bringing animals to Moon Mountain was one response, but it could not be the only one.
“Collaboration is key,” she says.
Her broader vision includes working with other rescues, raising awareness of horse welfare, and exploring ways to make rescue efforts more sustainable. Supporting one another allows organizations to share knowledge and resources while continuing their individual work.
In describing her hopes for Moon Mountain, Dawn has envisioned cabins, gardens, educational clinics, and opportunities for people to participate in life at the sanctuary.
These ideas share a purpose: developing a model that supports animal care while giving people meaningful ways to contribute. A visitor’s experience would center on participation and learning, with the rescue mission remaining at the heart of the property.
Those ambitions are plans, rather than a list of amenities currently available. Anyone interested in visiting or volunteering should contact the sanctuary first. Moon Mountain currently lists visits as being by appointment only. https://moonmountainsanctuaryandrescue.com/
Through her partnership with Keystone RV, Dawn has used a Montana 3901RK as a mobile home base, affectionately calling it her “mansion on wheels.”
The RV provides a place to return to while traveling and sharing the sanctuary’s story. For Dawn, that connection between home and purpose supports work that reaches beyond Moon Mountain’s boundaries.
The sanctuary remains the center of the story, but the Montana is part of how she carries that story to others.
Support can take several forms:
Moon Mountain began with an idea about connection. Its continuing story is built through the daily care of animals and the people who choose to help.
Visit Moon Mountain Sanctuary and Rescue to learn about its work and current ways to get involved.