A federal judge late Monday barred the city of Austin from euthanizing Major, a Belgian Malinois, and ordered the city to release him to a rescue organization within 30 days. The order ends the dog's 575-day stay at the city animal shelter, where he has been since March 2025, while his owner, Shane Lilly, challenged the euthanasia order in court.
Lilly has said a vehicle struck Major while he was walking the dog off-leash in Montopolis. He said he left the dog outside a nearby home while he went to retrieve his phone from his tent, and that Major attacked a woman who tried to help the injured dog during that time. In September, Lilly filed a federal lawsuit alleging the city violated the Americans with Disabilities Act.
U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra's order requires that Major be sedated and muzzled before transfer. The rescue group will take him to a secure enclosure outside Austin and Travis County, where he must decompress for at least 30 days. Only Lilly and designated veterinarian Kenneth Martin may have access to him during that period. The order says Major may never be released to the general public and requires Lilly to obtain at least $100,000 in liability insurance. In a statement, the city said it remains concerned that Major poses a serious safety risk, but it will abide by the court's order. Lilly's lawyers could not be reached for comment.