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 manage horse populations in certain areas to prevent them from negatively impacting grazing lands for cattle and wildlife.
Contraception is part of the strategies outlined in Alberta’s feral horse management framework, along with removal from the wild and adoption. The province recently obtained a “research authorization” to use the SpayVac-Equid contraceptive vaccine, as confirmed by a Health Canada spokesperson.
The aim is to study the vaccine’s effects on feral horses, with no general approval for widespread use at this stage, according to the federal agency. Alberta is currently reviewing the specifics of the approval related to horse contraception, emphasizing a science-based and humane approach in collaboration with stakeholders.
The latest feral horse survey in Alberta revealed a record-high count of 2,072 wild horses across six equine management zones, with population levels in some areas considered unsustainable. The province considers these horses as stray animals rather than wildlife.
In a bid to address the population issue, a new strategy is being implemented based on previous attempts. A contraception pilot project was launched in 2014 by the province and the Wild Horses of Alberta Society to assess the efficacy of birth control methods. The project involved administering a vaccine called ZonaStat-H to wild horses through dart shots.
Despite some success in reducing births among vaccinated mares, challenges such as high costs and rugged terrain hindered the widespread implementation of contraception. Research indicated a significant portion of the female horse population would need to receive birth control for noticeable results.
The Wild Horses of Alberta Society plans to capture horses, administer the SpayVac-Equid vaccine manually, and release them back into the wild, marking vaccinated horses for future identification. This method, with an 85 to 95 percent success rate, prevents conception for several years without altering herd dynamics and eliminates the need for booster shots.
The society aims to launch the new contraception project this fall as part of a comprehensive population control strategy. This strategy also includes capturing a limited number of young stallions and relocating them from the wild to manage horse numbers effectively and keep all land users satisfied.