WDG Public Health invites Dufferin County residents to help with local tick surveillance efforts
April 30, 2026 Update: We have reached the number of properties needed and are no longer accepting participants. We had an overwhelming response from the community! Thank you to everyone who expressed interest. We appreciate your support in helping us better understand tick activity in Dufferin County.
To view information about Tick activity in our region, view the Zoonotic and Vector-borne Diseases Dashboard and click the "Ticks" tab.
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (WDG) Public Health is asking Dufferin County residents to take precautions against tick bites and consider helping with local tick surveillance efforts.
Recent data shows that many Lyme disease cases in our region are acquired on private rural property, particularly in northern Dufferin County. Most tick surveillance currently takes place on public land like hiking trails and parks, but everyday environments like yards, wooded lots, and areas with long grass, brush or leaf litter can also pose a risk.
Help us learn more about ticks in your area
To better understand where ticks are present, WDG Public Health invites Dufferin County property owners to take part in local tick monitoring by allowing tick dragging on their private property.
Participation involves a one-time visit where trained staff:
- Walk through your property
- Pull a small white cloth along the ground to collect ticks (called “tick dragging”)
- Spend less than three hours on-site
- Do not disturb the land
Interested in participating?
If your property has large wooded areas, brush, or leaf litter and you are open to helping prevent Lyme disease through tick dragging on your property, please contact us:
- Phone: 1-800-265-7293 ext. 4753
- Email: PHI.intake@wdgpublichealth.ca
Visit wdgpublichealth.ca/ticks to learn how to protect yourself, your family and your pets, and for tips on what to do if you are bitten by a tick.
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