The story Behind INDV-Instituto Nascer Desenvolver Viver
“The INDV was born from something simple, yet extremely powerful: love for animals. Behind every rescue, every life saved, and every story of recovery, there is the journey of Daniela Viviane Moreira — me.”
Approximately 6 years ago, everything began. I was a mother, already desperate, with a son diagnosed with OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), trying to fight against many diagnoses, many medications, and a system that was driving my son into distress.
After searching for many palliative and functional treatments, this mother moved to a rural area, believing that contact with nature and animals could help her son. In my heart, this was salvation for him.
Among rabbits, birds, turtles, dogs, and cats, I started looking for horses after reading many articles about the benefits these large, gentle animals bring to special children.
After many searches to acquire a horse, and with a lot of ignorance about everything related to them, I looked for beautiful horses — large, strong. I was guided by appearance.
Then, among horse sale advertisements, one specifically caught my attention because of the mare’s name. She was a chestnut mare with a small, marked face. In the photos, she looked beautiful — but it was her name that convinced me to go meet her. Her name was Ana Raio.
When I arrived, I found a very different reality.She was thin, her coat was weak, and she lived in an environment that was nothing like what I imagined a horse should live in. Her eyes were asking for help.
At that moment, I was faced with two lives calling for help — two mothers, both pleading in their own way. Ana Raio was pregnant.
Everything inside me went still. My thoughts quieted, replaced by a single, overwhelming question: how could I go out searching for a beautiful, well-kept horse based on appearance… and turn my back on this mare, standing right in front of me, in such a condition? She looked at me, and I looked at her. And I could not ignore that look.
I bought that mare — not so she could help my son, but so I could help her. When she arrived home, I called a veterinarian. Blood tests were done, and we discovered severe anaemia and a heavy tick infestation. I did everything I could — after all, I wasn’t trying to save just one life, but two.
Slowly, Ana Raio began to recover, gaining strength and, in time, carrying her pregnancy safely to term. Yet throughout it all, she remained deeply fearful — wary of touch, distant, and afraid of people. It was during this time that I began to truly understand the darker reality behind many horses’ lives.
Over the years with us — now nearly six — Ana Raio has become more than a survivor. She became a teacher, not only to me, but to everyone who has had the chance to be around her.
There are moments we captured where my son rides her during his crises — and each time, her calmness, patience, and quiet tolerance helps bring him peace and reassurance and moves me in a way that’s hard to put into words.
Even now, just remembering those moments brings it all back. Ana Raio is estimated by veterinarians to be around 15 years old and we were blessed with her foal, Tempestade, who will turn 5 years old on 23/12/2026.
When I arrived, I found a very different reality.She was thin, her coat was weak, and she lived in an environment that was nothing like what I imagined a horse should live in. Her eyes were asking for help.
At that moment, I was faced with two lives calling for help — two mothers, both pleading in their own way. Ana Raio was pregnant.
Everything inside me went still. My thoughts quieted, replaced by a single, overwhelming question: how could I go out searching for a beautiful, well-kept horse based on appearance… and turn my back on this mare, standing right in front of me, in such a condition? She looked at me, and I looked at her. And I could not ignore that look.
I bought that mare — not so she could help my son, but so I could help her. When she arrived home, I called a veterinarian. Blood tests were done, and we discovered severe anaemia and a heavy tick infestation. I did everything I could — after all, I wasn’t trying to save just one life, but two.
Slowly, Ana Raio began to recover, gaining strength and, in time, carrying her pregnancy safely to term. Yet throughout it all, she remained deeply fearful — wary of touch, distant, and afraid of people. It was during this time that I began to truly understand the darker reality behind many horses’ lives.
Over the years with us — now nearly six — Ana Raio has become more than a survivor. She became a teacher, not only to me, but to everyone who has had the chance to be around her.
There are moments we captured when my son rides her during difficult OCD episodes — and each time, her calmness, patience, and quiet tolerance helps bring him peace and reassurance and move me in a way that’s hard to put into words.
Even now, just remembering those moments brings it all back. Ana Raio is estimated by veterinarians to be around 15 years old and we were blessed with her foal, Tempestade, who will turn 5 years old on 23/12/2026.
During Tempestade’s birth, I learned about another horse — Zé Trovão — who was roaming loose in a pasture in a nearby city.
His owner was trying to sell him, no longer able to continue his care. The moment I heard about him, something inside me reacted immediately. I could not stop thinking about him.Without hesitation, I arranged transport and brought him to us.
When Zé Trovão arrived, the situation was sadly familiar. The veterinary exams revealed severe anaemia and a heavy tick infestation. Physically, he was weak and neglected, but what affected me most was his emotional state.He was deeply fearful of people — even more than Ana Raio had been when she first arrived.
It was clear that, somewhere along the way, he had learned fear instead of safety. Recovery took time. Little by little, with food, treatment, patience, and a calm environment, Zé Trovão began to heal physically. But emotional recovery took longer. Earning his trust slowly, day by day.
These experiences so far made me realize something that would stay with me forever: How many more animals were out there suffering silently, unseen and forgotten?
That question never left my heart.Then, in June 2023, I heard about another mare in critical condition in a nearby city. She was starving. I contacted the owner immediately and decided to bring her to safety.
Her name is Celeste. Celeste arrived extremely thin, malnourished, weak, and covered with ticks. Like the others, she was also suffering from severe anaemia. Her body showed clear signs of prolonged neglect, but despite everything, she remained gentle.
We began treatment immediately — proper feeding, veterinary care, medication, recovery monitoring, and constant attention. Slowly, Celeste started to regain strength. Watching her body recover, her coat improve, and her eyes become calmer reminded us once again why this work matters.
Each rescue changed us.At that point, what had started with one mare had already become something much bigger than I ever imagined.
In July 2023, a friend who is also deeply involved in animal protection reached out to me about a young foal in urgent need of help — a foal around the same age as Tempestade.
He had been abandoned and was suffering from a severe tendon injury in his hind legs. His condition was heartbreaking. He was weak, struggling to stand properly, and clearly in pain.
Even so, he still carried the innocence and gentleness that only a young horse can have. We named him Apollo. From the moment he arrived, we committed ourselves completely to giving him a chance at life.
Apollo underwent extensive veterinary care, and surgeries. There were difficult days, moments of hope, setbacks, and constant uncertainty about whether he would be strong enough to recover.
Caring for Apollo demanded emotional strength, time, financial sacrifice, and endless dedication. But giving up on him was never an option for us. Despite everything he endured, Apollo remained incredibly sweet and trusting.
He taught us a great deal about resilience, vulnerability, and the silent strength animals carry even through suffering.
For a long time, we fought alongside him, believing he deserved the opportunity to experience a life free from pain. Sadly, in January 2026, Apollo passed away due to complications following surgery.
His loss deeply affected us. But even though we could not save him in the end, we take comfort in knowing that Apollo was loved, protected, and cared for during the final chapter of his life.
He did not leave this world abandoned or forgotten.We did everything possible to give him a chance.
In October 2023, a report came in about five horses abandoned without proper food, water, or pasture.
When I arrived, the reality was devastating.One horse had already died.
Another was lying on the ground, extremely weak and close to death. The others were severely malnourished, their bodies reduced almost to skin and bones. It was the first time I truly faced animals starving to death in front of me.
Until then, I did not see myself as a formal rescuer — just someone responding whenever an animal needed help. But moments like that change you forever. Because once you witness suffering like this, you cannot simply walk away and pretend you never saw it.
Even without structure, funding, or support, I could not leave them there.I rescued three of the horses and brought them to the land that I still lease today.
One of the mares was in especially critical condition. In addition to extreme malnutrition, she had a large open tumour on her neck. Her body was exhausted, weak, and fragile. The veterinarian warned me that she would probably not survive.
But giving up on her was never an option.
We started treatment immediately — food, medication, wound care, monitoring, and constant attention. Day by day, she continued fighting.
Today, her name is Maria Vitória — “Maria Victoria” — because her life truly became a victory against everything that was working against her.
The other two horses, Grandão and Guerreiro, also slowly recovered with proper care, nutrition, and safety.
By that point, I was caring for seven horses, all supported entirely by me alone.
What had started as a single rescue was becoming something far bigger than I had ever imagined.
In November 2023, I officially registered the NGO.
I reached out to both government and private sectors — but meaningful support never came.
I carried a clear vision: to create a safe space where rescued horses could heal, recover, and live with dignity — while also building, in the future, an equine-assisted therapy environment for children like my son.
For me, the two were always connected.
Many of these animals had experienced fear, neglect, abandonment, and suffering. And in their calmness, sensitivity, and resilience, I saw how deeply horses could also help children facing emotional, neurological, or psychological challenges.
My dream was never only about rescue.
It was about creating a place of healing — for both animals and people.But without the necessary financial resources, I was never able to fully bring that vision to life.
Even so, the rescues continued.
In May 2024, I took in three more mares — at first, only temporarily.Then we came across a donkey on the roadside, eating plastic. We couldn’t leave him there — so we brought him in too.
At one point, I was caring for eleven horses — more than I could realistically sustain on my own.
By the end of 2024, I had to make the difficult decision to relocate four of them.
Today (April 2026), we care for:
• 7 horses
• 11 dogs
• 12 cats
This is where it all began — with two mothers crying out for help.None of this would have been possible without my friend Cássio Zeraik, who stands with me as part of the NGO.
Every rescue has been carried out by the two of us — Cássio and me.We are, at heart, dreamers.
Long before the institute was formally established, I was already dedicating my time, emotional energy, and personal resources to helping animals in need.
We started with nothing — no structure, no support, no funding.Only a deep, undeniable feeling that something had to be done.And from the very beginning, I never turned my back on a call for help.
Today, the institute exists because I could not turn away from the suffering of animals.We believe the greatest force that exists is love — and that is what guides everything we do.
We love our animals, and we want to continue helping those who still have no voice, no safety, and nowhere to go.
But rescue work requires constant care, food, veterinary treatment, land, medication, and daily dedication.
Without the necessary financial support, continuing this mission becomes increasingly difficult.
That is why we are now reaching out for sponsors through our website — so we can continue rescuing, rehabilitating, and protecting animals in need, while giving more lives the second chance they deserve.
