Nike Suspends Michael Vick Over Dogfighting Charges

July 2007

On Friday, July 27, 2007, PETA sent out a dozen news releases announcing demonstrations the following Monday outside every Niketown storefront in the United States–from Los Angeles to New York City to Boston to Atlanta. PETA had already protested outside Niketown’s New York City store, and PETA activists had flooded Nike with calls and e-mails demanding that the company cut ties with Michael Vick in light of his indictment for involvement with dogfighting rings. Late that afternoon, Nike suspended Vick from his contract without pay, until the conclusion of his trial. According to Vick’s indictment, even if losing dogs survived, they met a cruel fate, “sometimes put to death by drowning, strangulation, hanging, gun shot, electrocution, or some other method.” The public response–and Nike’s response was a victory for all dogs beaten and killed in illegal dogfighting rings across the country.