Health Canada has given the green light for a birth control vaccine to be tested on free-roaming horses in Alberta. The Alberta government deems population control of horses crucial to prevent excessive grazing impacting cattle and wildlife areas. Contraception is part of the strategies outlined in the province’s feral horse management framework, alongside removal and adoption options. In late August, the Alberta government obtained a “research authorization” to use the SpayVac-Equid contraception vaccine on feral horses. This authorization allows for studying the product’s effects on horses, not for general use.
According to Health Canada, the federal agency stated that Alberta is currently reviewing the details of the approval for horse contraception. The government is collaborating with stakeholders to implement management actions in a humane and science-based manner, focusing on data collection and adoption for now. The latest feral horse survey in Alberta identified 2,072 wild horses across six equine management zones, with populations in some zones deemed unsustainable.
A new strategy, building on past efforts, involves a partnership between the province and the Wild Horses of Alberta Society. A contraception pilot project initiated in 2014 utilized the ZonaStat-H vaccine to control horse populations. Despite some success, the project highlighted the high costs and logistical challenges associated with administering contraception to wild horses in rough terrains. The province aims to reduce the horse population by capturing and vaccinating horses by hand before releasing them back into the wild.
The Wild Horses of Alberta Society president, Jack Nichol, mentioned that the new method has a high success rate, lasting for several years without impacting herd dynamics. The SpayVac-Equid vaccine does not require booster shots, unlike the previous contraceptive used. The society plans to launch the contraception project in the fall, combining it with capturing young stallions to control the horse population. The society also focuses on rescuing and rehabilitating horses for adoption, with over 200 horses taken in since its establishment in 2002.
