To Emily Thomas, her dog Sawyer is her everything. 

"Having Sawyer has been a constant, a witness and a companionship [with] unconditional love, which is not something that you are receiving in abuse," she said.

He stayed by her side during one of the toughest times in her life. 

"It's very hard, as they say, to extricate yourself from abuse primarily because your worldview has been completely deteriorated to the point that you're not sure what you're experiencing," said Thomas.

She endured that abuse until violence escalated. 

"I could've quite literally died, but I also think that part of my true survival was my connection to and utilization of resources, like Crisis Center North," she said.

Crisis Center North helped her take Sawyer with her as she left her abuser through the PAWS program.

"The financial support that I received through the PAWS program kept a roof over my head, quite literally," Thomas said. "Kept my animal safe. Kept me sort of head above water on a financial side so that I could focus entirely on my mental and emotional healing."

It's healing with the help of man's best friend, the Crisis Center North, made possible.

For Thomas, the nonprofit covered twelve months of rent in its entirety.

In the past three years, the nonprofit's program provided services to 359 clients and 768 companion animals.

"The community is really thankful and grateful when we come to them and say, you know, we're here to help you for your entire family you your children, and your pets," said Director of Legal Services and PAWS for Empowerment program, at Crisis Center North, Dana Friday.

In addition, the PAWS program's trained 2,200 medical, veterinary, social workers, police officers, and other professionals about the link between domestic violence and animal abuse. 

Trained dogs in the PAWS program will even go and sit with domestic abuse victims speaking out against their abuser, in criminal court.

"It's really great because bringing them here allows us to provide other services to them also. Counseling and other economic help. Medical advocacy, legal advocacy," said Friday.

Those are all services Thomas said she used. The combination, along with the constant presence of her best canine friend, helped her heal and move forward. 

"Crisis Center North and other entities can shift that perspective back and give you the power to see yourself and your life clearly," Thomas said. "Those are the building blocks of a better future for us as individuals and as a community."

It's a nonprofit helping abuse survivors find safety and empowerment with man's best friend by their side.

To message Crisis Center North, you can text 1-877-522-6093, and if you want to support the nonprofit's mission, it'll have a pet walk event called "Paws Against Domestic Violence".

That's scheduled for North Park, at the South Ridge Harmar Shelter on October 26th from 10:00 AM until 1:00 PM.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, you can always call or text the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text start to "8-8-7-8-8".