‘Equine genocide’: Group rallies against Alberta government’s plans for wild horses

A group that rallied outside McDougall Centre on Wednesday wants to protect Alberta’s wild horse population.

Wild horse advocates gathered outside the provincial building in Calgary on Wednesday, collecting signatures for a petition.

Darrell Glover with Help Alberta Wildies Society (HAWS) said, “15,000 and counting.”

The group wants the province to buck plans to remove some of the horses and give birth control to others.

It says reducing the population of roughly 1,500 could lead to their demise.

“They’re actually starting a program now that could lead to an equine genocide,” said Glover.

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The province says the plan was developed with input from a committee of stakeholders, including ranchers, scientists, RCMP, Indigenous groups and horse advocates.

“To throw all that work out because of a petition, I’m not sure if that’s a wise use of energy and time,” said Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen.

The province has said the wild horses destroy the land.

A 2015 range health report by biologist Wayne McCrory found most damage came from clear-cut logging, off-road vehicles and cattle.

“I don’t know why they’re picking on the wild horses,” he said.

McCrory also wrote a report in 2023 exposing the lack of evidence supporting a cull.

Alberta proposed a wild horse cull in 2014 but ended those plans after stiff opposition.

McCrory said the wild horses have natural predators and benefit the ecosystem.

“It was the Spanish who reintroduced them to North America 400 years ago, so they’re really a returned native species. Evidence all points in that direction,” said McCrory, who has been keeping records on the population and its environmental impacts for more than 10 years.

He is among the advocates who want to see the animals protected.

“Sable Island has a protected species of wild horse; there is actually a protected band of wild horses up in northern Saskatchewan as well,” said Monique Noble, a wild horse photographer and advocate.

HAWS invited Alberta’s leader for a tour.

“For Danielle Smith, our wonderful premier, I’d like to see you come out on a ride-along. Learn the actual facts and the truth about our wildies,” said Mona Jorgensen with HAWS.

Glover said the general public is an important stakeholder when it comes to wild horses.

“Recent polls from Zoocheck have found that 76 per cent of Albertans want the government to leave hands off and leave the horses alone,” he said.

People at the rally travelled from around the province.

“I travelled from Medicine Hat, about three hours, because I am passionate about saving the wild horses of Alberta,” said Darlene Gunn.

Glover said so far more than 15,000 Albertans have signed the petition against the birth control and removal of wild horses and to have them designated a naturalized species.

“They are unique to Alberta, and once they’re gone, they can’t be reproduced,” said Glover.

A similar rally is also being planned for the Edmonton area.

HAWS included on plans

Alberta Forestry and Parks said Wednesday that the provincial feral horse management framework was developed with input from HAWS.

Loewen’s press secretary Michael Plenits said that strategy involves “humane capture methods” and will not dart any animals.

“Feedback from the Help Alberta Wildies Society is reflected in the framework, including desires expressed in a 2021 proposal put forth by the Help Alberta Wildies Society for the long-term management of feral horses,” Plenits wrote in a statement to CTV News Wednesday.

“The framework is a direct response to a written request from the president of the Help Alberta Wildies Society, Darrell Glover to have an upper threshold of 1,800 horses with a 1,000-horse threshold in the Sundre zone.

“Concessions were also made to change the survey count methodology based on feedback from the Help Alberta Wildies Society.”

Plenits said Glover was supposed to sign terms of reference to stay on the province’s advisory committee, but he did not and left the committee voluntarily.

HAWS’ plan to present the petition in the legislature this fall.