Over 30 Stores in Acadiana Affected by Major Rat Infestation at Family Dollar Distribution Center

Over 30 Acadiana-area Family Dollar stores are part of a voluntary product recall after more than 1,000 dead rats were found at a distribution center in West Memphis, Arkansas.

The dead rodents were reportedly found after the Family Dollar distribution center was fumigated. While the discount retailer has yet to receive any formal complaints or illnesses related to the rat infestation, the recall was issued at over 400 stores impacted in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee on any products purchased between Jan. 1, 2021, and today.

Items include (but are not limited to):

• Cosmetics
• Baby products
• Human food products
• Pet food products
• FDA-approved dietary supplements
• Medical devices
• Surgical masks
• Over-the-counter medication
• Dental products

The FDA investigation of the West Memphis, Arkansas distribution center was sparked by a consumer complaint in January.

Both live, and dead rodents were found in the facility along with "rodent feces and urine, evidence of gnawing, nesting and rodent odors throughout the facility, dead birds and bird droppings, and products stored in conditions that did not protect against contamination,"

Once the distribution center was fumigated as part of the investigation, over 1,100 dead rodents were found. In addition to those rodents, internal records from the Family Dollar showed that more than 2,300 rodents were found between March and September of last year.

Distribution was halted after inspectors made the discovery and since then, the FDA has advised consumers to throw out any products affected by the rodent infestation. The FDA also encouraged people to wash any containers affected as well as their hands.

Families rely on stores like Family Dollar for products such as food and medicine. They deserve products that are safe. No one should be subjected to products stored in the kind of unacceptable conditions that we found in this Family Dollar distribution facility.

As I wrote earlier, there have been no formal complaints to date, but officials still want consumers to be aware that rodent contamination can cause salmonella and infectious disease. Anyone who experiences health concerns after the purchase of any of the aforementioned products should seek health care from a professional immediately according to the FDA.

Local stores affected in Louisiana are as follows.

Here is a full list of Family Dollar stores affected by the infestation.