The Squaxin Island: one of the only Indian reservations in the country with an animal control officer.
It’s no wonder that dogs come running and jump into Gus Nilsson’s vehicle when he drives up. According to the dogs who know Gus, he’s more of a canine “Santa Paws” or “ice cream man” than he is code enforcer – and that’s just the way he likes it. Gus, who is a Tribal Housing Enforcement Officer, wears many hats for his job, but none more important than his role as tribal animal control officer. While it’s not his “official” job title, the animals who live within the reservation of the Squaxin Island Tribe would tend to disagree.
Gus, who was a military sentry dog instructor during the Vietnam era, subsequently spent 42 years as a Washington State Patrolman. “The longest in their history,” he said. These days, it’s his work with animals that’s earning the praise of humans and canines alike.
