Mission & Vision
A guiding light to help dogs find safety, love, and homes.
Heart Dog Harbor is where compassion meets structure — a modern rescue model built to do things differently.
Grounded in ethics and designed for growth, we’re creating a space in Winters, California where dogs can land safely, decompress, and move toward real homes that fit.
But Heart Dog Harbor isn’t just about the dogs — it’s about building a system that works for the people who care for them, too. From volunteers and fosters to adopters and community partners, everything we’re creating is meant to strengthen the entire rescue ecosystem and set a new standard for what sustainable, ethical rescue looks like.
Stronger Together
Rescue doesn’t work in isolation. Heart Dog Harbor is designed as a collaborative hub — uniting fosters, trainers, veterinarians, and community partners to create better outcomes for dogs across Northern California. We’re building a network where everyone has a role to play, and where shared effort leads to lasting change.
Thoughtful Design
Heart Dog Harbor is being built for both dogs and people. Every space — from kennels to play yards — is designed to help dogs get ready for real homes. Just as important, it will be a place where the people who care for them can thrive. Accessibility and belonging are part of the plan, so dogs and humans alike can find purpose and connection.
Built to Last
We’re not just building kennels and yards — we’re building infrastructure for long-term impact. Heart Dog Harbor will operate on a model that balances care, capacity, and community investment, ensuring every resource is used strategically to save and prepare more dogs year after year.
Your Impact
The Harbor is coming to life because people like you believe dogs deserve better. Whether through donating materials, volunteering skills, or funding a future kennel run, every contribution brings us closer to opening our doors — and changing how rescue works.
We believe in combining passion with strategy
While big hearts matter, so does having a plan. Our goal is simple: stay focused, stay real, and do right by dogs and the people who love them.
Heart Dog Harbor will combine 20 acres of open space with a structured, enrichment-based approach to care. And because great rescue depends on great people, we’re designing our spaces for humans, too. Every path, kennel, and work area will enable staff and volunteers to do their best work, and to enjoy the same sense of peace that they bring to our dogs every day.
Our mission extends beyond our property lines. We’ll support the regional ecosystem through partnerships with shelters, fosters, schools, and community groups across Northern California. Heart Dog Harbor will also serve as a hub for everyone working in animal welfare. We will foster connections, strengthen ties, and facilitate knowledge sharing across the community as a whole.
Our foster network is just the beginning. The first phase of the Harbor will add dedicated kennels, play yards, and training spaces — expanding our reach to help hundreds more dogs every year. With your support, we can turn that number into thousands.
Meet Our Dogs
Our Values
We are a guiding light to help dogs find safety, love, and homes.
Excellence
Prioritize high standards and quality in every action.
Kindness
Treat all living things with compassion and respect.
Transparency
Be authentic, open, and honest.
Collaboration
Work together with the community for larger impact.
Innovation
Think outside the box for a better standard of care.
Who We Are
Built by People Who Believe Dogs Deserve Better
Heart Dog Harbor was founded by Katie Alford and Caysen Russo — two people who understand the heart, the imperfections, and the potential of rescue — and are turning that insight into action.
Trained by Best Friends Animal Society and shaped by real experience in the field, they bring both structure and soul to the mission. This isn’t a passion project — it’s a blueprint for lasting impact, driven by people who know how to turn vision into something tangible.
Caysen Russo
Outside of rescue, Caysen spent years managing his bands’ recording and production — work that demanded precision, discipline, and relentless dedication. That same drive now fuels every part of Heart Dog Harbor’s growth. He manages the Harbor’s 20-acre property in Winters, ensuring every inch is designed with the dogs’ health, safety, and freedom in mind. From nutrition and behavior to enrichment and facility design, Caysen oversees it all — building a place where dogs can land safely, decompress, and get ready for the next chapter of their lives.
Everything he does — every fence post, every feeding, every plan — is guided by one principle: do right by the dogs, always.
Katie Alford
Before founding the Harbor, she led teams and scaled operations in the tech industry — experience that taught her how to design systems that work, rally people around a shared goal, and turn big ideas into action. Now, she’s applying those same principles to rescue, creating a model built on sustainability, strategy, and care.
Katie oversees the Harbor’s programs, fundraising, and long-term vision — ensuring every resource, every volunteer, and every dollar directly supports the dogs. Her leadership is grounded in empathy and accountability: the belief that running a rescue should be as thoughtful and intentional as the lives it saves. She’s all in on creating a rescue that works — for the dogs, for the people, and for the future of animal welfare.
The Dogs Who Shaped the Mission
At Heart Dog Harbor, that means the pack beside us — Cliffy, Ruby, Bella, and Stella — and the heart dogs who came before them, Abbey and Buddy. Their memory fuels our mission to give every dog a safe landing and a real shot at the life they deserve.
Get in Touch
Send us a Message
Email us at info@heartdogharbor.org.
Stay Connected