By Sarah Geraghty
I have been inspired for some time to interview my friend Robert Sturman, a friend that I had made prior to the last Marshall BioResources protest in May of this year. I met Robert through his Instagram account that he runs for his canine animal testing survivor, Otis. Robert has a very welcoming and warm demeanor that there is no doubt he can tell Otis’s story not only through captivating pictures but with his own genuine words as well. Robert is a Professional Photographer, Art Educator and a Content Creator who also travels the United States for the Prison Yoga Project and in Southern California to different jails and prisons. If you ask Robert what his most important job is though, he will light up and tell you that it is without a doubt, just being Otis’s dad. Robert expressed to me in our phone interview that his greatest inspiration is to tell Otis’s story and let others know about the atrocities of animal testing. Robert and Otis now realize how rare it is for any animal to survive the confines of a small metal cage only to be used as a disposable bi-product by science. Otis was lucky, not only did he survive the testing he endured but he ultimately made it out alive.
The world witnessed the historic release of 4,000 Beagles in May of 2022 when judge Moon ruled that the Virginia Medical breeding facility called Envigo (owned by Inotiv, Indiana based) to close it’s doors after long investigations proved of the torture, neglect and denial of basic humane rights that were done to these sentient beings. The impact of this would soon usher in a whole new group of Animal Welfare Activists and Advocates to start putting more pressure on Medical Breeding Facilities and labs in the NIH and WHO with the likes of the Advocacy group, White Coat Waste Project. The Two largest Medical Breeding Facilities in the United States for Beagles are Ridglan Farms and Marshall BioResources. Ridglan Farms is currently under investigation and a Special Prosecutor hired by Judge Lanford to be investigated for animal welfare violations from State and Federal standpoints. These Beagles are the ones that are sent to labs here in the U.S. and some possibly overseas. Practices like this are not just an American problem, they are world wide and I assume only get worse with even more relaxed regulations if any in other countries. In March, 2023 The FDA Modernization Act was passed that would lift the 1938 Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic ACT by making it no longer mandatory to test on animals, just optional. If it is optional why are we not transiting to a more highly accurate science that doesn’t involve animals? Dogs like Otis and my own Envigo survivor, Hopper will no longer be needed in cruel, outdated and highly inaccurate toxic tests if the United States could be a leader and take a better initiative into phasing out animal testing faster than its currently promised 10 year phase out plan.
Dogs like Otis are bred and born into a life confined in small cages with no exercise, no sunshine, no grass, uncertain veterinary care, inadequate food, water and little to no human contact. I have read through some of the current USDA and Aphis reports that show these factors still hold true at places like Ridglan Farms (Madison, WI. housing approximately 3,000+ Beagles) and Marshall BioResources (North Rose, NY housing approximately 26,000+ Beagles, and countless other animals such as ferrets, mini pigs, cats and larger breed dogs) Otis is a Coon Hound (large Breed) and was born at one of Marshall BioResources multiple locations. Marshall BioResources has a few different facilities in or near North Rose, New York, Owner and CEO Scott Marshall has been doing his best to keep places like this running, secretly on backroads and in-between his privately owned Apple Orchards spanning down country roads off of Highway 104 East. It was at the last protest we had multiple people driving by or even joining us saying they had no idea what it was or that it was even there and so well hidden.
Otis was released to Beagle Freedom Project from an unknown lab when he was only a year old where he had only been known as subject #162508 from the tattoo in his ear ear. The Rescues that animal test survivors are adopted out to have strict NDA’s and cannot usually give the specifics of what the animal may have been through or where they came from. Otis’s story was found out and it hauntingly told a horrific endeavor. Otis had endured a medical test study that involved some sort of implants screwed into his head that released either electric or high frequency volts. It is not known exactly what the “scientific study” was for these tests but Otis’s life was spared and he was graciously handed over to the Beagle Freedom Project. BFP (Beagle Freedom Project) found fosters for Otis and got him on track to decompress and learn how to be a dog. I cannot stress enough how lucky a dog like Otis was to receive a second chance at life. The United States currently only has laws in 16 States for labs to adopt healthy dogs out to rescues after testing is completed, there are no real statistics yet on how many that saves in total.
Robert had been following BFP for some time and one day Otis’s post came up and Robert was so drawn to Otis and his story he commented that he was interested in Otis. The next day BFP had gotten into contact with Robert and he drove the convenient 20 minutes to their headquarters in L.A. to meet Otis. Robert remembers immediately feeling peace, calmness and a feeling as if he was in a noble presence and couldn’t believe how handsome Otis was. Robert remembers fondly how Otis came up to him, sniffed him, checked him out and then the staff gave Otis a bone and he transformed back into a dog going to bury his bone. Robert asked for some time to think things through, BFP informed him Otis was going to be heading back to the shelter he came from soon and Robert’s heart broke.
Robert agreed to Foster Otis after his gut wrenching realization that Otis surely had already impacted his heart. Otis came to Robert’s house for a visit, sniffed around the perimeter, checked the house out and it’s when BFP left and Robert and Otis had a quiet minute to themselves to register everything, that’s when Robert told me that they looked each other in the eyes and realized it was the end game, Otis was a foster fail and Robert was so heartbroken for him that he looked Otis in the eyes and told him, “that together, we are going to change the world. Otis was home”
The adjustment period for Otis is one that Robert said was fairly normal, Otis came potty trained by a prior foster but Robert implemented leash training and off leash training at the beach. Animals that survive medical testing/breeding need complete puppy like training no matter their age, these dogs have never known anything outside of a cage, no beds, sun, grass, toys, ect. The world is brand new to survivors so you have to start at the very beginning with the basics. I think every lab dog owner will tell you that it takes a lot of patience, love and reassurance.
Robert lives in Southern California so there are so many beaches to choose from but Robert said they have their favorite ones to visit. Otis and Robert are very active together, daily walks, outings, beach visits or car rides. I asked if Otis had a favorite song or music and Robert replied “Otis loves Bob Marley!” I can tell by the photos and videos that Robert posts to Otis’s instagram that the beach adventures seem to be a favorite for them both. I think Robert has done amazing things for Otis not only physically but mentally and spiritually.
Otis is a brand ambassador for ECOS brand cleaners and pet shampoos, the best part is that they don’t test on animals! You can find these household cleaners at your local Targets, Walmarts and Amazon. ECOS brand is Women Owned since 2014 and has been around for 60+ years. The detergents, cleaners and pet shampoos are all plant derived ingredients that have placed ECOS on the map for being a leader in practices that topped in the EPA’s 100% renewable energy awards while also proving to be green power, electricity sources with no carbon footprints left behind. Robert and Otis are personal fans of ECOS and Robert has even taken Otis out to the California headquarters for a visit.
Robert and Otis both have implemented a plant based diet and have continued to spread awareness through Otis’s story on Instagram with networks of friends, family and acquaintances. Robert decided when he officially adopted Otis that he wanted to live in opposition to animal cruelty, it was his calling to change and adapt to a plant based lifestyle to support other animals that didn’t have a choice. In the United States alone it is estimated that approximately 10 billion land animals are slaughtered annually for human consumption, according to my internet research it states that it breaks down to 266 land animals every second losing their life. One person alone is capable of saving an estimated 198 animals by becoming vegan for 1 year according to a PETA statistic.
Robert and I have stayed in contact throughout this venture of wanting to tell Otis’s story and I feel as if this is only the beginning for Robert and Otis. Robert is an amazing photographer with a keen eye for nature and color. I look at Roberts’s art seeing emotion,soul bearing beauty, pain and endurance. The focus of this story is and will always be Otis and the life he gets to live because of pure chance and meeting Robert. Robert stressed to me the importance of maintaining his art, photography as a work load but it wasn’t just people anymore that motivated him, it was the animal welfare world that made him most want to get out into the world and make changes. I find it so humbling when a person can put aside the required and expected human traits of success to admit that an animal’s life matters just as much. Robert told me he has a couple of exciting things coming up and I couldn’t be more excited to follow both their journeys and continue to support them both with their stories of strength, motivation and beauty.
For more information follow Otis on Instagram @Otisthehandsomehound & you can follow Robert on Instagram @robertsturman & on Facebook follow: Robert Sturman – Artist/Photografia
Links
Ecos
https://www.ecos.com/
And on Instagram @ ECOSCLEANS (verified blue mark)
White Coat Waste Project
https://www.whitecoatwaste.org/
And they are also on Facebook and Instagram