VICTORIA -- The B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS) reunited a young deer with its family after it was scooped up by a concerned resident near Port Alberni.

According to the COS, the concerned citizen picked up the deer after spotting it alone near a busy roadway.

The COS is now reminding residents not to move deer, even if they appear to be abandoned or lost.

“It is common for does to leave their fawns for hours at a time, while they forage for food,” said the COS in a Facebook post Thursday.

“Moving a fawn you might think is orphaned could result in it not being able to reunite with its mother – this greatly reduces its chances of survival.”

After the man picked up the young deer, the conservation service was contacted.

When COS officers arrived, they put the fawn in an animal carrier and moved it to a quiet area nearby.

The COS officers and the young deer then waited in the area for a short amount of time before an adult deer and another fawn returned.

The trio of deer then reunited and left the area together.

While residents are advised not to move deer, the COS says that you can contact the conservation service at 1-877-952-7277 if you are concerned about a wild animal’s welfare.