Wild horses have roamed the foothills of Alberta for hundreds, if not thousands of years.  Having originated in North America, the species evolved as part of the native fauna within the ecosystem they now inhabit. There are estimated to be less than 900 horses spread out over an area in excess of 2 million acres. For years special interest groups have pressured the government to continue culling their numbers, citing damage to the native grasslands as their primary concern. Subjective reports by grazing lease holders purporting damage to the rangeland by wild horses have been used to justify issuing capture permits for hundreds of horses over the years, many of which have ended up going to slaughter. An independent analysis of the Alberta Wild Horse management plan and field research done by esteemed biologist Wayne McCrory in 2015, revealed the plan is not science based. The field study found no evidence of damage to the rangeland by free roaming horses, nor has Alberta Environment & Parks been able to provide any documentation of damage. Furthermore, the ecological benefits of the wild horse population have never been taken into consideration.

We are petitioning the NDP government in Alberta to place a moratorium on issuing any further capture permits, enabling a management plan based on sound scientific evidence and principles to be put into place.