Editing other object's animator parameter... NullReferenceException? (VR)

I am creating a VR program using VRTK and I would like the user to be able to reach out and touch an object, which will change an animator parameter on another object to trigger an animation. I was able to get this to work when I called the other object's animator from my hand controller, but the exact same script is not working in the interactive object. I just get the error "NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object" on this line: anim = otherObject.GetComponent();

Here is the rest of the relevent code:

 Animator anim;
         GameObject otherObject;
         /// <summary>
         /// Allowed controller type.
         /// </summary>
         /// <param name="Both">Both controllers are allowed to interact.</param>
         /// <param name="Left_Only">Only the left controller is allowed to interact.</param>
         /// <param name="Right_Only">Only the right controller is allowed to interact.</param>
         public enum AllowedController
         {
             Both,
             Left_Only,
             Right_Only
         }
 
 
         private void Start()
         {
             GameObject otherObject = GameObject.FindWithTag("Player");
             anim = otherObject.GetComponent<Animator>();
         }

 public virtual void StartUsing(GameObject currentUsingObject)
         {
             anim = otherObject.GetComponent<Animator>();
             anim.SetInteger("size", 1);

Any help would be extremely appreciated! Thanks