Health Canada has given the green light for a birth control vaccine to be trialed on free-roaming horses in Alberta. The Alberta government deems it necessary to control the horse population in certain areas to prevent excessive grazing impact on cattle and wildlife habitats.
Contraception is one of the methods specified in Alberta’s feral horse management framework, alongside removal from the wild and adoption. Health Canada confirmed that the province obtained a “research authorization” for the use of the contraceptive vaccine SpayVac-Equid in late August.
The province is currently assessing the approval details related to horse contraception and collaborating with stakeholders to implement management strategies in a humane and science-based manner. The latest feral horse survey in Alberta identified a record 2,072 wild horses across six equine management zones, with populations in several zones considered unsustainable.
In a new approach building on past efforts, the province and the Wild Horses of Alberta Society initiated a contraception pilot project in 2014. The project involved administering a vaccine called ZonaStat-H to wild horses through dart injections. Findings revealed high costs and logistical challenges due to rough terrain hindering monitoring and booster shots.
The Wild Horses of Alberta Society president, Jack Nichol, disclosed plans to capture horses, administer the vaccine manually, and release them back into the wild. This method, with a success rate of 85 to 95 percent, prevents conception for several years without altering herd dynamics. The new contraceptive, SpayVac-Equid, eliminates the need for booster shots and has no impact if administered to pregnant mares.
The Society aims to launch the contraception project in the fall as part of a comprehensive population control strategy, which includes capturing a limited number of young stallions for removal from the wild. Nichol emphasized the government’s aim to manage horse populations effectively while keeping all land users content. The Wild Horses of Alberta Society continues its efforts in rescuing, rehabilitating, and facilitating adoptions for horses in need.
