• June 21, 2007

Nike says it has no plans to dump Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick from its celebrity athlete roster, after a request from the national Humane Society to do so because of Vick's alleged ties to dogfighting.

Nike spokesman Dean Stoyer said the company planned to honor its lucrative deal with Vick, who worked with the company to design a line of athletic shoes and has been used prominently in advertising campaigns. The company said it will continue to monitor the situation.

During an April 25 raid on a Virginia home owned by Vick, authorities seized 66 animals, most of them pit bulls, and equipment that suggested they were being used in a dogfighting operation.

Vick, a registered dog breeder, has claimed he rarely visited the home and was unaware it could be involved in a criminal enterprise. He blamed relatives for taking advantage of his generosity.