Poison’s Rikki Rockett Speaks Out Against ‘Exploitation Of Animals For Profit’

While his stance on animal crackers remains unclear, Poison drummer Rikki Rockett is not a fan of zoos, specifically their practice of holding wildlife in captivity and in his words, the "exploitation of animals for profit."

Rockett spoke out prior to the band’s Ohio-area gig last week at the Toledo Zoo Amphitheatre, stating: "For the record, I am not in favor of zoos. It's another example of exploitation of animals for profit. I am not going to make this show about that issue, however. This is about Poison and the fans. I am simply stating my stance on zoos and I think that it's essential that I do."

He has a long history of stumping for animal rights and from his point of view; learning basic compassion at an early age goes a long way towards solving "a lot of our problems." Rockett says "when you grow up caring for an animal, it teaches you responsibility and compassion because something is depending on you. I think if someone is really great at taking care of a dog, he'll be better equipped to want to take care of life."

Puppy mills are also a target of Rockett’s anti-animal cruelty evangelism. He goes home each September to his home state of Pennsylvania to support the efforts to end puppy mills in Lancaster.

Watch Poison Perform 'Something To Believe In'