Sheriff pulls over for baby deer stranded near traffic, then helps reunite it with family

A Washington sheriff helped to reunite a baby deer with its family after it was found stranded near traffic.

Near Columbia Park along Highway 240 in Kennewick, Benton County Sheriff Mike Clark noticed the fawn as he was driving back from a regional meeting for law enforcement officials, according to the Benton County Sheriff's Office.

The sheriff's office said the baby deer was stuck on the highway side of a fence, while its mother and its sibling remained on the safer side, per NBC. The sheer volume of traffic likely overwhelmed the animal, which appeared petrified.

Luckily, Clark stopped to keep the frightened animal from getting closer to passing vehicles, and Deputy Ortega arrived soon afterward to help prevent it from running into the road.

The Benton County Sheriff's Office (@bentonco_wa_sheriff) shared photos of the adorable rescue on Instagram.

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A post shared by Benton County Sheriff's Office (@bentonco_wa_sheriff)

A passerby who pulled over to help turned the incident into a team effort, the sheriff's office said. They provided a blanket, and Clark safely secured the fawn and lifted it over the fence so it could rejoin its family.

A frightened animal can easily panic, run into traffic, and trigger a crash that harms both people and wildlife. In this case, a few quick decisions helped prevent that outcome. The rescue also depended on assistance from others.

After the rescue, the sheriff's office thanked Deputy Ortega and community members Alexandria and Lisa Goforth for helping return the fawn to its mother and sibling. The small act of kindness may have prevented the deer or a driver from experiencing the worst day of their lives, turning a potentially dangerous moment into a sweet one.

While this instance of care ultimately saved the animal's life, it is also important to carefully deal with wildlife and not assume that all animals, even when they are cute, are safe to approach. Making sure to respect animals is critical in keeping everyone safe. In other instances, human intervention has even led to a young animal being rejected from its herd, ultimately resulting in its death.

Often, the best option is to report the problem to wildlife professionals. 

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