Robert ‘Bobby’ Cavanaugh was cycling through his mobile home park in Madison Heights, Michigan, on Christmas Eve when he witnessed the alleged abuse of an animal.
According to Bobby’s sister, Jane Thompson, he tried to intervene, but was then attacked with an object.
Bobby was knocked out, and law enforcement and emergency services arrived to find him ‘unresponsive and bleeding,’ as stated by Madison Heights Police Lt. David Koehler.
“The fire department tried life-saving measures,” Koehler stated, but unfortunately, Bobby was pronounced dead after being transported to the hospital.
The authorities are investigating the circumstances, including whether Bobby was defending the dog when the assault occurred. The suspect, known to the police, has been detained.
Fox 2 Detroit quoted Koehler saying: “There was an altercation of some sort, but we don’t know what led to it. Our investigation has led to the arrest of someone, but it appeared Cavanaugh had some blunt force trauma which could have potentially caused his death.”
Following Bobby’s demise, his family and friends have honored his memory and called for justice for the ‘animal lover’.
“He’s kind of a hero to me,” Jane Thompson remarked. “He was always reaching out to others, helping them.”
A local resident, Rebecca Spencer, commented: “He would not let anybody kill an animal or hurt one. He has been in this community for so long, and he has helped everybody.”
Jane Thompson has initiated a GoFundMe campaign, where she described her youngest brother as having a ‘heart of gold’.
“[He] would do whatever he could to help the community in any way that he could and would never ask for a penny,” she wrote. “He did everything from his heart. He was a man that loved the Lord and always gave back whenever he could especially all animals.”
Thompson mentioned that her family intends to ‘honor’ Bobby by providing him with a ‘proper burial as the hero he was’.
“His wishes were to be buried and not to be cremated. Thank you so much for your consideration as we continue to pray for peace, humanity for all of our world,” she wrote.
The GoFundMe campaign set a goal of $4,000, but donations have far surpassed this, reaching almost $19,000 by December 29.
UNILAD has contacted Madison Heights police for further updates.
If you witness an animal in distress or needing assistance, call 911 if a crime is occurring. Additionally, you can access a directory of animal abuse investigation agencies by state here.