About Us

Our Mission

Height of Hope Senior Dog Rescue is an official 501(c)(3) dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming senior dogs - those over 7 years old -- who have been abandoned, surrendered, or forgotten.

We prioritize long-term shelter seniors who have been overlooked, as well as senior dogs surrendered by elderly owners who can no longer care for them due to health challenges.

We are committed to providing compassionate care, restoring dignity, and ensuring every older dog—abandoned, surrendered, or neglected—receives the loving second chance they deserve.

Our Goal: Carrying Forward Mac’s Mission—No Senior Dog Left Behind.

Why Seniors?

I first saw Macaroni—a deaf senior pup—on Instagram at AHS Newark December 2025. I wanted to foster him, but no rescue was willing to pull a senior dog. Like so many older dogs, he was overlooked.

So, I made a decision—I adopted him.

That moment changed everything.

Too often, senior dogs are passed over because of their age, medical needs, or the perceived investment required. But I’ve always had a soft spot for the underdog—for the senior shelter dogs that no one else chooses, for the ones surrendered because their elderly owner cannot care for them any longer.

Macaroni became more than a rescue—he became a purpose.

Height of Hope Senior Dog Rescue was founded to carry that purpose forward.

Our mission is simple but urgent: to provide compassionate care, dignity, and a loving second chance to dogs in the final chapters of their lives.

Because every dog—no matter their age—deserves hope.

Meet Our Board Members

Working alongside our founder, Kelly Harmon, we have an amazing team of board members!

Amy Emely

Amy is a yoga therapist, coach, nonprofit leader, and creator whose work is rooted in deep healing and meaningful systems change. Through yoga therapy, she supports individuals in working with the nervous system, trauma, and lived experience in ways that are practical, embodied, and sustainable.

As a nonprofit leader, she has developed and guided recovery-informed programs serving individuals navigating substance use recovery, justice-system involvement, and other system-impacted life transitions. Her work in these spaces centers dignity, accountability, and long-term transformation—both personal and collective.

This depth of experience shapes how she leads: with steadiness, emotional regulation, and a commitment to clarity over reactivity. She approaches leadership as an extension of healing—grounded in self-awareness, shared responsibility, and the understanding that real change happens from the inside out. Beyond her professional roles, Amy volunteers with the Associated Humane Societies and is a devoted pit bull parent.

Jess Carter

Jess Carter is a clinician and passionate animal advocate. With a deep commitment to helping vulnerable animals, Jess is dedicated to supporting the rescue’s mission of providing senior dogs with loving homes, compassionate care, and the dignity they deserve in their later years.

In her professional role within the behavioral health field, Jess brings strong skills in empathy, advocacy, and community support, which she carries into her work with the rescue. She is especially passionate about raising awareness for senior dogs, who are often overlooked despite their incredible capacity for love and companionship.

Jess is honored to contribute to an organization that values compassion, second chances, and the belief that every dog, regardless of age, deserves a safe, loving home.

Jill Ipolito

Jill Ippolito brings both compassion and dedication to the senior dog rescue community.

By profession, she is an international and U.S. intellectual property paralegal, but her heart has always belonged to animals — especially senior dogs.

Throughout her life, Jill has opened her home and heart to several older dogs, believing deeply that their golden years deserve comfort, dignity, and unconditional love. She and her husband, Jesse, currently share their home with three beloved pups: Lily, a spirited 6-year-old shepherd mix; Seamus, a gentle 14-year-old mutt; and Hank, a playful 1½-year-old mutt.

Together, Jill and Jesse are committed to advocating for senior dogs and ensuring they receive the second chances and loving homes they so greatly deserve.