Health Canada has given the green light for testing a birth control vaccine on free-roaming horses in Alberta. The Alberta government deems it necessary to control horse populations in certain areas to prevent them from negatively impacting grazing lands for cattle and wildlife.
Contraception is among the strategies outlined in Alberta’s feral horse management framework, along with removal from the wild and adoption. In late August, Health Canada confirmed that the province received a research authorization for the use of the SpayVac-Equid contraception vaccine on feral horses. However, this authorization is for research purposes only and not for general use.
The Alberta government is currently reviewing the specifics of the approval related to horse contraception. The latest feral horse survey identified 2,072 wild horses in Alberta’s equine management zones this year, with unsustainable population levels in several areas.
A previous contraception pilot project in 2014, conducted by the province and the Wild Horses of Alberta Society, utilized a different vaccine called ZonaStat-H. The study revealed challenges such as high costs and difficulties in administering booster shots due to rough terrain.
The new strategy involves capturing horses, administering the SpayVac-Equid vaccine manually, and releasing them back into the wild with visible markings for identification. This method is expected to have a high success rate, lasting for several years without altering herd dynamics or requiring booster shots.
The Wild Horses of Alberta Society plans to implement the contraception project this fall alongside other population control measures. The society also focuses on rescuing, rehabilitating, and adopting out horses that stray onto private property.
