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At first glance, it's a harmless toy, just another of the 101 figurines available with McDonald's Happy Meals as part of the chain's tie-in with Disney's live-action 101 Dalmatians.
At second glance, it's, uh, deeply upsetting. The toy, depicting a dalmatian frolicking with a teddy bear, is meant to be placed on its back, so the puppy is lying down with the bear on his belly (above). But try to put the puppy on his hind legs, and he capsizes forward, creating an altogether different relationship between a dog and his bear.
McDonald's spokeswoman Jane Hulbert insists the company has had no complaints. ''I'm just a little stunned,'' she says. ''I can't...I've not heard anything like this, and I'm sorry if anybody's offended.'' Hulbert says McDonald's has no plans to recall the toy. ''Our motive is not to offend anybody, and certainly not children.''
While McDonald's may lose face with parents, it may earn points for verisimilitude: As dalmatian owners can attest, the figurine provides a far more accurate representation of typical dalmatian behavior than anything in the movie. Still, don't hold your breath for the Yapping Dalmatian, the Biting Dalmatian, or the Dalmatian That Engages in Personal Grooming in Front of Guests figurines anytime soon.
