Humane Society Asks Nike to Drop Vick

SURRY — The Humane Society is asking Nike to cut ties with NFL quarterback Michael Vick in light of a dogfighting investigation at Vick’s Surry County property.

Wayne Pacelle, the Humane Society’s president, wrote to Mark Parker, Nike president and CEO, to drop Vick as a corporate spokesman. Vick, a Newport News native, plays for the Atlanta Falcons.

"We recognize that Mr. Vick has not been charged with a crime. But we know that Nike has high standards for its spokespersons," the letter read. "We trust Nike does not want to be associated with any celebrity who is linked to this odious form of animal cruelty."

So far, no one has been charged. The case has been under investigation since April when 66 dogs, mostly pit bulls, and equipment typically used in training dogs to fight were found on the property.

The Humane Society called dogfighting an epidemic and said it does not want to see young people drawn to it because of prominent athletes and celebrities, the group said in a news release. Dogfighting occurs in every state and has been surging in urban communities in the last decade, the Humane Society said.

AirTran Airways last month decided not to renew its contract with Vick, saying the company "decided to go in another direction," a spokesman said at the time.