Austin must release Major the dog after euthanasia threat, judge rules
Shane Lilly and his dog, Major, a Belgian Malinois, pose on a hike. Courtesy of Shane Lilly. A federal judge late Monday barred Austin from euthanizing Major the dog and ordered the city to release the Belgian Malinois to a rescue organization within 30 days, ending the dog's 575-day stay at the city animal shelter as his owner fought the euthanasia order in court. Lilly challenged a court’s euthanasia order in several courts, including the Texas Supreme Court. In September, he filed a federal lawsuit alleging the city violated the Americans with Disabilities Act. U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra’s order permanently bars the city from euthanizing Major. It also requires that the dog be sedated and muzzled, then transferred from the shelter to a designated rescue organization within 30 days. The rescue organization will transport Major to a secure enclosure outside Austin and Travis…
