Augusta Dog Adoptions (formerly Chains Hurt) was formed in 2006. Our goal at that time was to advocate for a tethering ban in the City of Staunton, Va. We did presentations to City Council about the dangers of chaining and worked closely with Staunton Animal Control to provide straw for chained dogs and to take the ones released by owners into our program. Staunton passed an ordinance limiting the time dogs can be tethered in 2009! While working in the community our concern shifted to the number of dogs who were being euthanized in the shelter. As our numbers of fosters and supporters grew, we took as many as we could into our program!

In 2011, Shenandoah Valley Animals Services Center opened to serve the homeless animals of Staunton, Augusta and Waynesboro, Va. We put all our efforts into helping them save as many dogs as possible while they built up resources and staff.

Today, we focus on helping shelters in VA with the highest kill rates. In 2017, we partnered with Patrick County Animal Shelter who had the third highest kill rate in Va. That is where the majority of our dogs come from and we are happy to say that we have helped their save rate skyrocket! Long time members of The Virginia Federation of Humane Societies, in 2020 we received their Compassion Award in recognition of our life saving work in Patrick County. The Compassion award was named in memory of Pearl Twyne, who founded the Virginia Federation of Humane Societies in 1959. This award recognizes a Member organization or individual who has demonstrated extraordinary leadership qualities and whose accomplishments reflect the mission of VFHS to end the euthanasia of healthy and treatable dogs and cats in Virginia.

​We are an all-volunteer, 501c3 rescue group that takes in and adopts out dogs that are transferred to our organization from local shelters and high-kill pounds throughout Virginia. We are based in Augusta County, VA and do the majority of our adoptions in Waynesboro, Va.

Augusta Dog Adoptions does not have a physical shelter. Dogs are “fostered” by volunteers at their personal residences until an adoption match is made. We provide rehabilitation and veterinary care to all dogs in our foster program prior to adoption. We take in a lot of dogs with medical needs that municipal shelters cannot afford to treat! That's why your donations are so important!