The fight for Major
Imagine being separated from your best friend for over 545 days. That’s the reality for Shane Lilly, whose service dog, Major, has been locked away in an Austin animal shelter since March 31, 2025. The vibes are off, and the situation is highkey heartbreaking, as the 65-pound Belgian Malinois is currently facing an euthanasia order.
There is a tiny glimmer of hope, though. Senior US District Judge David Alan Ezra hit the pause button on the euthanasia order on Sept. 29. He gave everyone involved a 10-day window to figure this out, as he weighs whether Major can actually be released back to Lilly.
How it started
The whole mess kicked off in March 2025 when Major was hit by a truck while out on a walk with Lilly on Felix Avenue in Austin. In the chaos that followed, a bystander tried to help the hurt dog, but Major—likely terrified and in extreme pain—bit her. The city grabbed the dog for observation and later pushed for euthanasia, claiming he was a public danger.
Lilly has been fighting this in court ever since. After losing in municipal court and seeing the Texas Supreme Court decline to take the case, he moved to federal court. He’s arguing that the city didn't give enough weight to the fact that Major is a service animal. He’s pushing for an independent evaluation to see if the dog can be rehabilitated rather than put down.
Why it matters
Major’s story has gone viral, and it's giving major main character energy. Nearly 55,000 people have signed a petition to save him, and activists have been showing up at the shelter and courthouse to demand justice. As Lilly put it, “My beloved service animal, Major, faces an unjust death sentence that no animal deserves.” For now, the clock is ticking, and we’re all just waiting to see if he gets to go home.
