RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The Virginia Department of Wildlife is asking people to leave fawns alone as the spring season arrives. In a recent post, department officials said that white-tailed deer fawns are often born during the spring season, and will make their way into yards, gardens and hayfield s. Although people might see the fawns and think they need help or think they have been abandoned, the best practice is to give them space and leave them alone. Officials explained that female deer will purposefully leave their fawns alone at times so as to not bring attention from potential predators, but they will return several times a day for brief moments to feed them. The department also reminded people that it is illegal to keep any wild animal as a pet, and hand-raised deer can pose a risk to the public. Anyone who thinks they have seen a wild animal that has been injured or orphaned should contact the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources helpline at 1-855-571-9003 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from Monday through Friday. For more information and to read the full release, click here. ...read more read less