<\/p>\n
About 15 people gathered at the Austin Animal Center on Saturday to protest the treatment of a dog named Major. The Belgian Malinois has been at the shelter since biting a woman on March 31, 2025 while its owner has fought for his life in court.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Eva Ruth Moravec<\/p>\n
About 15 people gathered at the Austin Animal Center on Saturday to protest the treatment of a dog named Major. The Belgian Malinois has been at the shelter since biting a woman on March 31, 2025 while its owner has fought for his life in court.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Eva Ruth Moravec<\/p>\n
About 15 people gathered at the Austin Animal Center on Saturday to protest the treatment of a dog named Major. The Belgian Malinois has been at the shelter since biting a woman on March 31, 2025 while its owner has fought for his life in court.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Eva Ruth Moravec<\/p>\n
Major, a Belgian Malinois, poses for a photo in Las Vegas, Nevada. Courtesy of Shane Lilly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Shane Lilly<\/p>\n
Austin officials are attempting to arrange a final visit this week between Major, a dog that has spent more than 525 days in isolation at the city shelter<\/a>, and his owner as public outrage mounts over a court order requiring the city to euthanize the animal.<\/p>\n The city said in a statement Tuesday it must \u201cmove forward with complying with the court order\u201d \u00a0after a judge denied a last-minute appeal from Major\u2019s owner, Shane Lilly, who has spent more than a year fighting the case in four courts.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cWe recognize that an extended shelter stay is not in the best interest of any animal and regret that it was necessary due to the lengthy legal proceedings,\u201d the city said in its statement.<\/p>\n The court denied Lilly\u2019s emergency appeal Thursday, a day after the American-Statesman reported on Major\u2019s case, prompting an outpouring of support for the dog. More than 6,000 people have signed an online petition<\/a> calling for Major\u2019s life to be spared, and hundreds more have commented on social media.<\/p>\n About 15 people gathered Saturday outside the shelter in 100-degree heat to call for Major\u2019s release. Some held signs reading \u201cFREE MAJOR\u201d and \u201cMERCY FOR MAJOR.\u201d<\/p>\n About 15 people gathered at the Austin Animal Center on Saturday to protest the treatment of a dog named Major. The Belgian Malinois has been at the shelter since biting a woman on March 31, 2025 while its owner has fought for his life in court.\u00a0<\/p>\n Eva Ruth Moravec<\/p>\n The court order did not include a deadline to euthanize Major.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The city said it has asked Lilly to set a time for a final visit this week and is awaiting his response. Officials are \u201cmaking every effort to contact Major\u2019s owner to arrange a visit before complying with the court order,\u201d the city said in another statement.\u00a0<\/p>\n Lilly said he\u2019s unsure what he\u2019s going to do and is exhausted after representing himself throughout the legal battle.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t really get up anymore,\u201d Lilly said, noting that he relied on Major for companionship and assistance with some physical tasks, such as opening doors. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t seem like the city cares about the law or public opinion\u2014they just want to kill the dog.\u201d<\/p>\n Julie Oliver, a local animal advocate and former shelter volunteer who organized Saturday\u2019s protest, said she wants the city to reach an agreement with<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Lilly allowing Major to be released under conditions such as an evaluation by an expert who could determine whether the dog could be retrained. She said she also wants the city to change how it handles animal bite cases.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to save Major\u2019s life and change the serious bodily injury policy to require a medical expert to testify,\u201d Oliver said.<\/p>\n Chana Aranoff, who attended the protest, said Major\u2019s behavior should be evaluated in the context of the circumstances surrounding the bite.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s an animal. They speak with their mouths \u2014 they can\u2019t say, \u2018I\u2019m in pain, please don\u2019t touch me,\u2019\u201d\u00a0Aranoff said. \u201cWhy take this dog and put him down?\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n In cases where an animal bite causes a serious bodily injury, it doesn\u2019t matter if the dog was provoked to bite, for whatever reason. The only criterion courts need to consider is the injury.<\/p>\n The city said it does not have independent legal authority to release Major or have the dog evaluated for possible rehabilitation. Officials said the decision to pursue the case was based on witness statements, information provided by Lilly and Major\u2019s \u201cprevious behavioral history, which raised\u00a0public safety concerns.\u201d<\/p>\n Lilly bought Major, a Belgian\u00a0Malinois, from a top breeder in 2024 for $15,000. The purchase price included a six-month training program, but Major did not complete it.<\/p>\n Lilly has said Major had snapped at fellow bus passengers but was responsive to his commands and gentle. According to an investigator\u2019s affidavit, Lilly told officials that Major had bitten five other people.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Shane Lilly and his dog, Major, a Belgian Malinois, pose on a hike. Courtesy of Shane Lilly.\u00a0<\/p>\n Shane Lilly<\/p>\n Major\u2019s legal troubles began March 31, 2025, when Lilly said the dog was struck by a white pickup truck while the two were walking in the Montopolis neighborhood. The truck fled, leaving Major with an injured, bleeding leg.<\/p>\n Lilly said he left Major in front of a house while he retrieved a\u00a0cellphone from a tent where he was staying, about 30 minutes away. While he was gone, a woman who wanted to get the dog to a veterinarian picked him up, according to a police report.<\/p>\n In an affidavit filed a week later, the woman said she was trying to keep Major out of traffic when the dog yelped in pain, turned around and bit her. The bites tore her skin, and medical personnel closed the wounds with three staples.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Major was taken to the city shelter and quarantined for rabies observation. Shelter staff later told Lilly that the city was seizing the dog and preparing for a municipal court hearing.\u00a0<\/p>\n Major has remained in isolation at Kennel 600 ever since, housed with other animals involved in court cases.<\/p>\n The city said public reaction to the case has included online threats against shelter staff, prompting officials to increase security at the facility.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n One\u00a0commenter on the Statesman\u2019s social media accounts<\/a> wrote: \u201cIsolation of an animal for 500+ days is cruel and unusual torture. What a complete failure of the justice system #FreeMajor.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n