Talking God's House Pet

R.U.F.F. is an acronym that stands for Reservations' Unwanted Four-Footed Friends and started by Susan Fadler in the early 1990s. Organized for establishing homes for the unwanted and neglected animals on the Navajo Reservation, Susan began taking rescued animals into classrooms to help teach the children about animal behavior, care and health. She soon found out that using an animal helped extrapolate expressions of emotions which would otherwise be harbored or unexpressed by the child. It also incorporated self-esteem where all else had failed. Using a natural catalyst, puppies and kittens, to teach responsible behavior proved to be extremely effective. Teachers began requesting materials to help teach history, geography, culture, and language. The Wilson Foundation was instrumental in providing the necessary funding to get Susan's curriculum written. It was nominated by teachers and administrators in 1996 and went on to win the 1st place Golden Bell award from the ASBA as a best new curriculum that year.