Jessica Hunter
Executive Director Ruth Thompson of the ANNA Shelter, 12-time winner of Best of Erie’s Best Place to Adopt a Pet category and this year’s winner for Best Nonprofit, sits down with Jessica Hunter to discuss her role, the ins and outs of running an animal shelter, and being a safe place for our area’s needy and neglected animals.
Walking into The Association for Needy and Neglected Animals (ANNA) Shelter on a Tuesday morning is a lesson in controlled chaos. Before the doors even unlock, the entire facility is filled with the sound of dogs barking and cats meowing, all waiting for a turn at a second chance. At the center of this whirlwind is Ruth Thompson, a woman who navigates the noise with the calm of someone who has been spinning these particular plates for 22 years.
Despite being the architect of one of Erie’s most successful nonprofits, Thompson recoils slightly at the mention of formal titles. “People say ‘executive director’ and I’m like, I’m just the girl that works there,” she says humbly. “I don’t ever want to feel bigger or better than anybody. I’m just like everybody else.”
That grounded, “just like everyone else” mentality is the bedrock of what she calls the “ANNA Family.” It’s a philosophy that clearly resonates with the people of Erie – the shelter recently achieved a sweep in the Erie Reader’s Best of Erie awards, taking home Best Nonprofit and Best Place to Adopt a Pet (for 12 years running), while also being named a runner-up for Best Place to Work. For Thompson, these accolades are a reflection of a shared local victory.
“We are a team, and that team includes the entire community,” she says. “When people see that we are voted runner-up for Best Place to Work, it’s because we’ve built a culture of mutual support. I try to be a safe space for my staff of 39, just as much as this is a safe space for the animals.”
The shelter’s mission is rooted in a deep, unwavering commitment to those with no other options. “We are here for the ones that truly need us,” Ruth explains. Whether it’s an emergency intake or a rescue off the freeway in the freezing cold, Thompson is a fierce advocate for the animals in their most vulnerable moments. “I have to prioritize based on need. Those who have nobody else in the world take precedence. They are the needy and neglected we are here to serve.”
To manage an operation of this scale, Thompson relies on a visionary approach to leadership, viewing the rescue as a “people business” as much as an animal one. “I’m a huge people person,” she says firmly. “We average 64 visitors a day. You’re dealing with humans all day long – you’ve got to love people to do this work well.”
That empathy extends to her team, where “Pizza Fridays” and “Taco Tuesdays” serve as the universal language of appreciation. It is a culture where no task is too small – Thompson herself can be found helping with the most difficult tasks or responding to midnight calls to ensure every animal feels safe the moment they arrive. “Animals don’t operate on human emotions; they have a hierarchy of needs,” she notes. “Safety is number one. I want them to feel safe here.”
Her dedication was crystallized years ago during a quiet moment of reflection. While riding her horse through the woods, she found herself at a crossroads, questioning the weight of the mission. The very next morning, she encountered a terrified dog trapped in a roadside ditch. After a calm approach, the dog hopped into her front seat, looked at her, and let out a massive sigh of relief.
“I bawled,” she remembers. “It was like a sign saying, ‘This is why you’re here. You’re here to save him.’ That moment re-energized everything.”
Today, that energy is felt across five buildings and through the hands of 50+ loyal volunteers. From donations arriving from as far as Australia to the neighbor dropping off a jug of laundry soap, the ANNA Shelter stands as a testament to Erie’s heart. As I was leaving the shelter, the philosophy was on full display: a woman was pulling up to drop off a generous load of supplies for the animal residents. It was a quiet, unprompted moment of service that happens at the ANNA Shelter every single day.
When asked what she would say if she could speak animal for a day, Thompson’s focus remains outward. “I’d ask them: ‘What can I do to better serve you? What more do you need from me?'”
It’s a question that defines her legacy – and one that Erie answers back every time a donation is dropped off or a pet finds a home. In the end, Ruth Thompson isn’t just running a shelter, she’s tending to the soul of the Gem City one rescue at a time. And as long as Erie keeps showing up, no animal will ever have to face their hardest day alone.
For more information on the animals available for adoption or to make a donation, visit theannashelter.com
Gem City Style is a monthly column featuring an intimate Q&A with someone making a creative impact in Erie. If you or someone you know would make a good fit for a future Gem City Style, email jessica@eriereader.com