Fall Squash

WHEN: October 2010

WHERE: East Liberty, Pittsburgh

This is the toy equivalent of seeing a pile of squashed guts on the highway. No idea what this once was, but it's dead now.

Day-of-the-Dead Dead

WHEN: October 20101

WHERE: Shadyside, Pittsburgh

Hard times have befallen this sexy, already-dead nurse.

Pumpkinhead

WHEN: October 2010

WHERE: South Side, Pittsburgh

These little toys look cute in cupcakes, but what sad fates befall them when the dessert is eaten and gone?

They're All Gone

WHEN: September 2010

WHERE: Brooklyn, N.Y.

PHOTO: John P. in NYC

This is unspeakable, some kind of mass dump of toys.

Angry Egg

WHEN: January 2010

WHERE: Strip District, Pittsburgh

This guy: scrambled, poached, hardboiled, fried but definitely not over-easy.

Monkey Time No. 3

WHEN: May 2010

WHERE: Venice Beach, California

PHOTO: Monica in Calif.

Face down in the gutter -- no way to be.

Monkey Time No. 2

WHERE: Friendship, Pittsburgh

WHEN: October 2009

Despite being flat and bright yellow, this monkey looks almost real, weaving its way through the jungle.

Monkey Time No. 1

WHEN: September 2010
WHERE: Brooklyn, New York City
PHOTO: Jon P. in NYC
Kicking off a mini-series of discarded monkeys is this guy. At first glance, he looks kinda happy sitting in a tree. Then I noticed he was strapped in. That's messed up, dude.

Panda on Board

WHERE: Oakland, Calif.
WHEN: April 2010
PHOTO: Meredith J. in Oakland
Who doesn't like to ride in the back of a truck? Look at that smile!

Head of Stewie

WHEN: May 2010
WHERE: South Oakland, Pittsburgh
I like how he looks just as non-plussed upside-down.

Yabba Dabba Ewwww

WHEN: May 2010
WHERE: East Village, New York City
PHOTO: Andy N. in NYC
This ain't no Bedrock.

South Pole Wanderer

WHEN: September 2010
WHERE: Brooklyn, New York
PHOTO: Leigh Fox, in New York City
This misguided penguin is 1. in the wrong hemisphere and 2. dressed for the wrong holiday. Plus, stuck on a fence.

Ay Chihuahua!

WHEN: April 2010
WHERE: Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh
The pocket-dog fad is over, and this little amigo is out with the trash.

Have You Seen My Dinosaur?

WHERE: Friendship, Pittsburgh
WHEN: March 2010
Sort of a toy-game double-header, as this dinosaur has been dumped on the park's chessboard table

Chick of the Sea

WHERE: Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

WHEN: February 2008

PHOTO: Bethany Armstrong, Chicago

I can't help but think this is how the Little Mermaid really ended up.

The Day the Music Died

WHEN: May 2010
WHERE: Regent Square, Pittsburgh
PHOTO: Jill in Pittsburgh
Looks like somebody gave up their rock-star dreams for a job in senior care. Happens every day.

Behind Baaaaaa-rs

WHEN: May 2010
WHERE: Detroit, Mich.
PHOTO: Michael J., in Detroit
Oh no! Not Lambchop!

Peek-a-boo Boo-boo Bear

WHEN: March 2009
WHERE: East Liberty, Pittsburgh
The minute I saw this stroller crammed between some newspaper boxes outside Whole Foods, I knew it was tragic junk. I also rightly suspected it would stay there for days, which it did.

"I Used to Be Somebody"

WHERE: Detroit, Mich.

WHEN: April 2010

PHOTO: Michael J., in Detroit

Hard times have befallen one of the Mario Brothers.

Kawaii Down!

WHEN: April 2010
WHERE: Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo
PHOTO: Jessica M.
Even being "kawaii" -- super cute and adorable -- can't save this little plushie. Kitten, mouse, bunny? It's so freakin' cute I can't even tell!

Death of a Doll

WHEN: March 2010
WHERE: Bloomfield, Pittsburgh
PHOTO: Chris P. In Pittsburgh
Chris reports: "When I first walked past, the doll was laying face down, as in the first photo. What may not be clear is that the doll is headless. When I walked past later, the doll had been moved onto its back, and the new perspective revealed the bondage angle of the doll's hands tied together. One can only imagine the events that led to this poor doll's demise."

Bored Games

WHEN: March 2010
WHERE: East Liberty, Pittsburgh
Scrabble tops this box of board games dumped in a corner of a parking lot.

Snow Emergency

WHEN: February 2010
WHERE: Friendship, Pittsburgh
A lot of parking challenges during the city's snowiest month ever.

Bunny Down in Brooklyn

WHEN: January 2010
WHERE: Brooklyn, New York
PHOTO: Leigh in NY
It's like one of those tragic hard-partying starlets who collapses getting out of the limo.

Not-So-Secret Squirrel

WHEN: February 2010
WHERE: Kensington Market, Toronto
PHOTO: Laurie McG. in Toronto
Laurie sez: This was lying on the ground, underneath a bike. I spotted him and propped him up on a rock next to the bike in order to take a photograph, and make him more visible so that he might be reclaimed by his owner.

I Am a Sad Toy

I had some computer issues that finally resolved themselves in a hard-drive death. Hence, the lack of posts recently. But, I'm back up a new horse, and moving forward.
Not sure how many stored photos I had on that dead hard drive (or where I backed them up), so if you've been thinking about sending in your own photos, now is a great time!

Truckin' Trauma

WHEN: December 2009
WHERE: Broadway Tunnel, San Francisco
PHOTO: Roger in San Francisco
There are few things worse than breaking down in a tunnel.

Don't Fence Me In

WHEN: November 2008
WHERE: Garfield, Pittsburgh

There is some deep impulse within folks to shove stuffed animals into chain-link fences. Here's three guys riding out the winter the hard way. Or maybe they're escaping ...

Happy New Year: Sad Version

WHEN: January 2009
WHERE: Friendship, Pittsburgh
That's right 2009, where's your Happy New Year fun hat now? In the gutter.