Rob Sturman & Otis: Compassion, Art, Activism

This week's episode features photographer/activist Robert Sturman, and of course, his good pal Otis - a former research hound. Robert shares how early exposure to the realities of animal testing shaped his compassion, eventually leading him to adopt Otis after seeing him through Beagle Freedom Project. While Otis is still triggered by loud noises like trains and fireworks, Rob explains all the ways he and Otis help each other every day.

We explore parallels between Robert’s long-standing work documenting human suffering (including yoga programs in prisons and the military) and his emerging activism for animals. As a living face of animal testing, Otis and Robert work together to raise awareness about cruelty-free products, and the need to shut down breeding facilities such as Marshall Bio Resources. The conversation closes with reflections on empathy, forgiveness, each person’s “link in the chain,” and the transformative lessons these dogs offer humans.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.