History
Since the early 1700’s, the wild horses have been an integral part of the Eastern Slopes of
the Rocky Mountains of Alberta. Since the early 1900’s, they have been classified by the
government of Alberta under the Stray Animals Act, a classification that remains today. Until
recently, managing the population translated to annual wild horse culls, private landowners
shooting “strays” that wandered onto their property, and multiple trapping permits issued
annually to multiple trappers. In 2002, when virtually no one other than the users of the back
country knew about the horses, WHOAS was formed by a very small group of people in an
effort to help give a voice to Alberta’s wild horses. A mission statement was developed, and
a Society was formed.
What does WHOAS do?
Until that time, the horse population had been “managed quietly” in the background by what
is now called Alberta Parks, Recreation and Tourism. Since 2002, WHOAS has not only
spoken out to the government regulators as a positive voice for the horses. The small group
has worked tirelessly to rescue horses in distress, build a rescue facility to comfortably
house rescued horses in need of a safe place to go. WHOAS has helped to haze horses
back onto public lands and fix the offending broken fences on behalf of the landowners, and
funded University studies on the reproductive habits and other effects of the horses on
native grasslands. WHOAS has also funded DNA testing of wild horses to more accurately
determine their heritage, and has provided this and other education on the value of the
horses, to both government officials and to the general public.
WHOAS Mission Statment
WHOAS Mission has been and continues to be, to ensure the provision of all aspects of the conservation and humane
treatment of wild horses in Alberta. We are committed to the preservation of these magnificent animals in their natural environment.
Our adoption procedure
Since 2002, as a direct result of Government mandated Wild Horse Culls and those horses
removed as a result of conflict with private landowners, WHOAS has been successful in
gentling and rehoming over 180 horses that otherwise would have been sent to slaughter.
Any horse WHOAS is called upon to rescue is subject to strict government mandated
protocol, overseen by the Alberta Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department, before a
rescue effort is put into action. Once rescued, the horse is brought back to our rescue
facility where it receives any medical care it requires, and where it is slowly gentled and
taught to trust human touch. Depending on each horse’s unique personality, this can take
weeks, months or longer to achieve, and every horse is given the respect and time it needs
and deserves to reach that point. When the handlers at WHOAS have determined a horse is
ready for adoption, there are very stringent processes followed to ensure the right human is
partnered with the horse. Each applicant to adopt is vetted for their ability to house, care for,
and develop with, any horse they might be partnered with. Once those abilities have been
ascertained and a potential match is found, every approved adopter is required to meet and
interact with the horses before the adoption reaches final approval.
(Our Adoption Application can be found at the top of the website.)
Going Forward
While the time has not yet arrived where we can put our feet up and rest in the knowledge
that the horses will be safe moving forward, the fate of the horses has improved drastically
since our society’s inception. There has not been a cull of horses since 2015. The days of
multiple horse trapping permits being issued to indiscriminately remove horses are, at least
for now, over. In addition to the work we do in the field with horses, WHOAS is also one of
many land user groups that sits on a “Feral Horse Advisory Committee” which was formed
to help advise the government on the wild horse population and its effects on land
management. If the government determines that the population requires management, then
our voice is now being heard to help ensure any population management effort is carried out in a humane and discriminatory manner so as to preserve each band’s integrity and hierarchy.
(For more information check out our page “Frequently Asked Questions”)
This young stallion is our most recent arrival and highlights why WHOAS is needed and how most of the rescued horses arrive. In his case, the rancher was told by government officials to either take him to WHOAS or to market. WHOAS will continue to save the lives of any wild horses that find themselves in such situations.
