The Biohazard Report - July 2025

"Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions; they pass no criticisms."

~George Eliot

Care for Our Furry Friends

Occasionally the team at Bio-One Columbus will find animals at our work site. These may be stray animals attracted to an abandoned space for shelter or pets accidentally left behind. Recently we found this little one at an empty property with no food or water. 

We also experience the aftermath of animal hoarding, but that is not the focus of this newsletter. 

What should all of us do if we find a lost or abandoned animal? 

• Safety first: Approach the animal cautiously, especially if it seems scared or potentially aggressive. Speak softly and move slowly to avoid frightening it further. If the animal is injured or in a dangerous location, call animal control or the non-emergency police number immediately. You can also consider offering some food and water from a distance.
• Check for Identification: If it's safe to do so, check the pet for a collar and ID tags with contact information.
• Look for a microchip: Take the animal to a local vet clinic, animal shelter, or pet store to be scanned for a microchip. A microchip contains the owner's contact information and significantly increases the chances of reunification.
• Notify the authorities and local shelters: Even if the pet has identification, you should still file a "found pet" report with your local animal shelter, rescue organizations, and animal control. This helps them connect the pet with any lost reports filed by the owner.
• Spread the word: Post flyers with the pet's photo and your contact information in the area where you found it, as well as at local veterinary clinics. Share the information on social media, especially local lost and found pet groups or platforms like Petco Love Lost, which uses facial recognition technology to match lost and found pet listings nationwide. You can also create a "found pet" listing on online resources like Pet FBI or Petfinder.
• Care for the animal (if possible): If you are able to safely care for the animal while you search for its owner, provide it with food, water, and a safe, comfortable place to rest. It's crucial to keep the animal separated from your own pets to avoid any potential conflicts or health risks.

With this little guy, we knew of a cat-friendly home that could take care of him and gave them a call. He was taken that same day to a vet, checked for FIV and FeLV as well as scanned for a microchip, and then to a safe space in their house. We are happy to report that Felix is healthy, safe, and adapting to his new home! 

Who Do You Call?

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Bio-One of Columbus is a leader in crime scene cleanup and biohazard decontamination services in Columbus. Our technicians are highly skilled and have been trained on OSHA's safety standards. Bio-One of Columbus continues to be the most passionate and caring company in the cleaning services industry.

For more information, visit us at https://bioonecolumbus.com/

Twitter: @BioOneColumbus 

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Copyright © 2025 Bio-One Columbus, All rights reserved.

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If selling or buying a home is in your future, you're likely well versed the entire process, from the initial offer to closing. But are you aware that disclosing a death in the home may be required? The rules vary by state. Here's what you need to know. 

Property Disclosure Documents

No matter how perfect a house looks on the outside, there is often property information a buyer needs to disclose before the sale can go through. Property disclosure documents reveal known structural issues, neighborhood nuisances, hazards, HOA details, water damage, notable repairs made to the home and death in the home. 

Rules for reporting a death in the home vary by state, and variations in rules may include:

• Timeframe: When the death occurred. 
• How the person passed away: If the death occurred naturally versus due to negligence on the property.
• Hauntings: If the seller has knowledge that the property is being haunted by the dead. 

To be more specific, here are three death disclosure examples as stated from experts or articles based in Texas, New Jersey, and California: 

• On Investopedia, Jim Olenbush, a Texas real estate broker said, “In Texas, for example, deaths from natural causes, suicides, or accidents unrelated to the property do not have to be disclosed." However, “a seller is required to disclose deaths related to the condition of the property or violent crimes." 
• Michele Messina, an agent with RE/MAX Villa Realtors in New Jersey, told Apartment Therapy, "If someone passed away after living a long, happy life, it’s not really something you have to disclose."
• The SFGate reported that in California, if someone dies on the property, it's a material defect – but only if the death occurred within three years of the date you make an offer to purchase or rent the home. 

For a state by state guide on disclosure laws we recommend visiting this resource on Nolo.com. 

How to Search Property Records

If you'd like to do your own sleuthing and search property records, look no further than DiedInHouse.com. Founded in 2013, this website promises to instantly search millions of records to determine if a death has occurred at any valid U.S. address. 

In a 2015 interview with Forbes.com, founder Roy Condrey stated, "I went online to find a ‘Carfax’ of sorts for deaths in homes and I didn’t find anything, but I did find pages and pages of people asking if there’s a way to find out if their house is haunted." 

The service isn't free, though. Once you enter an address, you're prompted to pay a minimum of $11.99 for a single search. The report will, however, provide a number of property records including meth labs, fire, death, and registered sex offender information. 

Remediating After a Death in a Home

If a death recently occurred in the home you're hoping to purchase, there may have been biohazards from bloodborne pathogens that required remediation. Consider asking the seller how the death was remediated to ensure proper steps were taken. Remediation processes may vary depending on the location of the death, how the death occurred, types of flooring, and if the death was undiscovered for days or weeks. 

Bio-One technicians are trained and equipped to properly disinfect biohazards from bloodborne pathogens, and we ensure safe biohazard material handling and disposal. Once the entire area is cleaned of blood and body fluids, we also help property owners restore the location to its pre-incident state. 

If you are selling a home and need a biohazard remediated or want to ensure remediation was done correctly, give Bio-One a call. Our experts not only contain and disinfect the dangerous biological materials, we carry out our work in a caring and private manner. Find a Bio-One team near you. 

If you like to hold onto things, try these steps to help declutter your life. 

1. Pick one section a day to tackle. For example, this might be your shoes or office. 

2. Ask yourself if you want to keep something and create a yes, no, and maybe pile.

3. Get rid of your no's and set aside your yes's. Your maybe pile should be considered carefully. If the item is useful and you need it - keep it. If you are keeping it because you might use it but never have, consider getting rid of it.

4. Do this for each category in your home that needs decluttering.

5. Throw items away, donate to charity, or sell some for some extra cash.

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If you know of someone in need of our services, please take a look at our locations to find the nearest Bio-One office near you. Stay safe!