MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – State records show rodents were eating their way through a Family Dollar store in Miami Gardens and using the store as their bathroom.
According to an inspection obtained by Local 10 News, the Family Dollar at 19721 NW 37th Ave. was inspected Aug. 16.
Local 10 investigative reporter Jeff Weinsier went to the store with a camera Thursday and saw that the rodent feces were still all over the place and the store was open for business.
All the food aisles were roped off with signs that said, "Don't buy food" and "Can't sell food."
Unlike restaurants, the Florida Department of Agriculture doesn't shut down entire stores. Instead, they order a "stop use" on parts of the store, equipment and food items.
A re-inspection was required due to the rodent infestation, which will be conducted in or about 14 days.
Weinsier sent photos of the rodent droppings to corporate and inquired about why the store was still open for business.
He went back to the store Friday, but it was closed. A sign at the front entrance read, "Store closed for repairs. Sorry for the inconvenience."
"Please know the safety of our customers and associates is our first priority, and we take situations like this very seriously," a company spokeswoman said in a statement. "We have closed our store to completely resolve the issue and we plan to re-open within the next few days."
READ: Full state inspection of Family Dollar store in Miami Gardens.
Below is a list of some of the violations found at the store:
"Observed three cases of Eatz potato chips on retail shelving with chew marks and soil stains."
"Observed two pest control glue traps with dead rodent attached."
"Observed rodent excreta (waste matter discharged from the body, especially feces and urine) along walls and under storage pallets and equipment."
"Observed rodent excreta on multiple packaged food shelving units."
"Observed rodent excreta on multiple packaged food retail shelving units."
"Observed soil build-up and rodent excreta along walls and under storage equipment throughout storage and receiving room."