Judge Orders Austin to Release Dog Major
Dog owners in Austin facing dangerous-dog orders should review liability insurance and release conditions now.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Dogs
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A federal judge has ordered Austin to release Shane Lilly's dog Major rather than euthanize him. Major must be transferred to a designated rescue organization within 30 days, and Lilly must keep the dog outside Travis County and Austin city limits.
Why it matters
The ruling sets out conditions for a dog the city had ordered euthanized after a March 2025 attack, and it shows that a federal disability-rights claim can change the outcome of a local animal-control case. For Austin pet owners, it underscores how strictly liability insurance and placement rules apply to dogs with bite histories.
Major has been held in city custody for more than 575 days at the Austin Animal Shelter. Lilly must carry $100,000 in liability insurance and expects future costs of about $25,000, against more than $16,000 raised so far on GoFundMe.
The players
Senior U.S. District Judge David Alan Ezra
A federal judge who issued the October order requiring Major's release and monthly updates on the dog for the next year.
Austin Animal Shelter
The city facility where Major has been held in isolation with no direct human contact for more than 575 days.
The details
Lilly's lawyers, who represented him pro bono, filed a federal lawsuit after state courts denied the case, claiming the city violated his rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Senior U.S. District Judge David Alan Ezra issued an order in Lilly's favor on Oct. 26. Major will be held for at least 30 days in an enclosed space to decompress before transfer. The order requires Lilly to tell the city which rescue organization will be involved, and Major cannot be released to anyone other than that designated group.
Timeline
March 2025: Major attacked a woman who was trying to load him into a vehicle, and was taken to the shelter.
Oct. 26: Judge Ezra issued the order in Lilly's favor.
Within 30 days: Major must be transferred to the designated rescue organization.
Next year: Ezra expects monthly updates on Major's situation.
The Home Front
The ruling applies the Americans with Disabilities Act to a local animal-control decision, a use of federal civil-rights law that state courts had not accepted in this case. It places a city dangerous-dog order in the same legal conversation as federal disability protections for household pets.
If you own a dog with a bite history, check your local animal-control rules and your liability insurance coverage now, since this case required $100,000 in liability coverage. Keep a written record of any dangerous-dog designation, vaccinations, and containment measures in case you need to show compliance.
The takeaway
A dangerous-dog order can be contested, and the ruling shows that the terms of any release can be strict. Keep your dog's vaccination records and insurance documents together so you can produce them quickly if local rules change.
What happens next
Lilly must tell the city which rescue organization will take Major within 30 days, and Judge Ezra expects monthly updates on the dog's situation over the next year.
Further reading
For more on how dog-bite and dangerous-dog rules work in practice, see our Dogs coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Austin American-Statesman.
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