Province aims to use contraceptive to manage 'unacceptable' horse populations
Author: Amir Said | Date: September 10, 2026 | Website: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-horse-contraception-9.7333555
Health Canada has granted the Alberta government "research authorization" to test the birth control vaccine SpayVac-Equid on free-roaming horses, after the province said populations in parts of Alberta — the Sundre, Ghost River, Elbow River and Clearwater zones — have exceeded sustainable levels. The authorization allows the product to be studied in feral horses but does not constitute approval for general use, Health Canada said. Trials were expected to start in late August, with vaccinated mares monitored for three years to check for adverse reactions and continued pregnancies.
Contraception is one of several tools in Alberta's feral horse management framework, alongside removal and adoption. The Wild Horses of Alberta Society plans to work with the province this fall, capturing horses to administer the vaccine by hand before releasing and marking them for future identification. Alberta's government says it's still reviewing the approval details and continuing to work with stakeholders on a "safe, humane and science-based" approach.