Major is a 3-year-old Belgian Malinois and a service dog. He has now spent more than 540 days in isolation at an Austin city shelter. Unless something changes, Austin Animal Services and the City of Austin may be allowed to end his life.
I want to be honest about why Major is there. He bit a woman. That is serious, and nobody should pretend otherwise. But Major's owner, Shane Lilly, says the city never carried out an individualized behavioral assessment before ordering him euthanized, and he has filed a federal lawsuit saying that violated the Americans with Disabilities Act. A federal judge, David Alan Ezra, has already paused the euthanasia while he considers whether an independent third party should evaluate Major. Reports say a ruling is expected around October 9.
This petition does not ask the city to ignore public safety. It asks for something simple and fair: let a qualified, independent animal behavior expert evaluate Major before the city makes any irreversible decision. If the expert finds he cannot be safely managed, the city will have the facts to stand behind. If the expert finds he can be rehabilitated or safely placed, the dog's life is saved.
I am calling on Austin Animal Services and the City of Austin to agree to an independent behavioral evaluation of Major now, and to commit not to euthanize him while that evaluation and any court review are pending. Nearly 550 days in a kennel is already a punishment no dog deserves. A few more weeks to get this right costs the city almost nothing.
Please sign and share. Every dog deserves a fair look before a final decision.
