There’s no use crying over spilled milk, as the old saying goes — and the same goes for spilled watermelons. That was the case recently, after one produce mishap led to a sweet opportunity for some thirsty animals.
According to People, a truck was carrying over 100 watermelons and cantaloupes from Yak’s Produce to the Louisiana Watermelon Festival in Farmerville.
But unfortunately, the truck was in an accident that left the melons all over the road.
The melons were crushed and bruised, and obviously couldn’t be sold to customers. In most cases, they would’ve been scooped up and thrown away — but in this case, one woman stepped up with a different idea.
Leslie Greene is a Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator who runs a nonprofit rescue on her property. She has 42 animals, like beavers, skunks and raccoons — all animals who are happy to eat a watermelon, even if it has been crushed.
She reached out to Yak’s for permission, and the owner was happy to let her take the produce, saying it was “wonderful” that the fruit wouldn’t have to be discarded after all.
Leslie fed the watermelons to her animals, who happily ate them up, enjoying them as a perfect summertime treat.
“They absolutely love it,” Leslie told People. “With it being so hot and humid, it’s the perfect snack.”
“Watermelon is 92% water,” she explained on TikTok. “It’s a great way to keep the wildlife hydrated in this summertime heat! It’s also packed full of nutrients including vitamins A & C.”
Not only is it healthy, the animals love it. One video shows a beaver happily chowing down on a piece of watermelon.
Leslie thanked Yak’s Produce for donating the melons to her instead of throwing it away. After her story went viral with half a million views on TikTok, she says many people reached out to the company to thank them.
And according to People, Yak’s offered to give Leslie any of the produce they could no longer sell.
“It turned out to be a big win for us and the wildlife,” Leslie said. “I appreciate Yak’s and appreciate all the animal lovers who did reach out to Yak’s and tell them thank you.”
What a sweet story. It’s great to see people making the most out of a bad situation, especially when it means rescued animals get a tasty treat.
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