Drumming Up Support for Animals
Musician Rikki Rockett deplores zoos and all exploitation
Drummer Rikki Rockett of the music group Poison doesn’t like zoos and deplores the idea of holding wildlife in captivity in what he calls the “exploitation of animals for profit.”
No matter that the band was going to be playing at the Toledo Zoo Amphitheater, Rockett made his views quite clear when talking to reporters before the show.
“For the record, I am not in favor of zoos,” he said. “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 eats an animal-free diet. He said that learning basic compassion at an early age goes a long way towards solving “a lot of our problems.” He believes that “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 Pennsylvania to support the efforts to end puppy mills in Lancaster.