‘Modern Family’ Episode’s ‘Significant’ Death Is ‘Definitely Not’ Stella the Dog

Death is coming to Modern Family‘s tenth season, but there is one canine who is absolutely safe.

More than a month after Modern Family co-creator Christopher Lloyd revealed that a “significant character on the series” will die in the current, and possibly final, season, fans are still clawing for clues. According to Jesse Tyler Ferguson, one member of the Pritchett/Dunphy family, Jay and Gloria’s dog Stella, will escape death.

“It’s definitely a person, not the dog,” Ferguson told E! News. “I’ve been hearing rumors about the dog, it’s not the dog. It’s no animal, it’s a human being.”

News of Stella’s safety will likely come as a major relief to the canine’s human co-star, Sarah Hyland. Following the September reveal that a “significant character” would be meeting an untimely end, Hyland, who portrays Haley Dunphy in the ABC comedy, jokingly threatened to leave the show if Stella died.

“I hope it’s not the dog,” she said during a red carpet interview with Variety. “Fans of the show, if the dog dies, I leave.”

She added that she would rather see “anyone” die before Stella.

“I’m that person who watches Walking Dead…like, feed the zombie the baby before the dog! I’m a horrible person, I know, but I just love animals so much. I love animals!” she said.

Although Lloyd didn’t offer any more hints as to the identity of the character, whose death will be a “moving event…that has repercussions across several episodes,” fans have been quick to offer up several theories.

One of the most likely cases seems to be that Jay will die, a conclusion that fans have reached given the character’s age and significance to the other characters. Other possibilities include Phil Dunphy’s father, Frank, Gloria Pritchett’s mother, Pilar Ramirez, and Cameron’s father, Merle Tucker.

The cast of the ABC series has even thrown in their guesses, with Luke Dunphy actor Nolan Gould revealing his fear that his character would get the ax.

“I pretty much, I know it’s not me, but I still think it’s kind of me,” he said. “I’m pretty sure like they’re going to write in a second death and not tell anyone. That’s where my mind goes as a neurotic actor. I immediately called my agents after I heard the news. I was like, ‘Oh. They’re going to kill me off. They have to.’”

Fans will have to wait a few more episodes to find out the truth behind the “significant” character death, as series star Julie Bowen claimed that as of filming for episode six, all characters were still alive and well.

Modern Family airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.