Rats infestation inside Beaumont shopping center

According to the director of the Beaumont Public Health Department, a company is working to eliminate a rat infestation at a shopping center off of the Eastex Freeway near Highway 105.

One customer of PetSmart, who worked there years ago and says he left on his own accord, told us he's come face to face with rats while visiting store this week.

He did not want to be identified.

"There's an overpowering smell of urine when you're walking around," said the customer.

He also told KFDM when you walk into PetSmart to pick up a bag of pet food, you may want to examine it a little more closely.

"It had rat urine on the bag and I had to go through 3 to 4 bags before I found a bag that had not been affected by rats."

The customer said the store is infested with rats.

"The one I saw yesterday is as big as a ferret, probably 5-6 inches long," he said.

The customer doesn't blame the local employees and wants to continue shopping at PetSmart if the problem can be corrected.  He explained others have noticed it, too.

One rat jumped off the shelf onto the ground in front of the woman and her daughter and she screamed.

KFDM went into PetSmart Wednesday and didn't see any rats. However, we did see rat droppings.

Beaumont Health Director Ingrid Holmes says PetSmart is cooperating and working to correct the problem.  The business has laid out several rat traps in the exterior of the store.

"Rodent infestation is probably what they have and it's very difficult," said Holmes. "It is not something that is cleared up in 2 to 3 days. It's a process."

She said PetSmart is working with Orkin to solve the problem. Orkin was checking the aisles Wednesday, looking for evidence of the rodents.

The company is not denying there is a problem but it's aggressively working to correct it.

Wednesday a cleaning crew vacuumed the rat droppings and threw away bags of food that had been chewed open.

"It's something that needs to be taken care of, 'cause like I said, eventually somebody's going to contract something."

A problem this customer wants others to know about and one he hopes will be corrected soon.

A PetSmart corporate spokesperson in Phoenix, Arizona told KFDM it's rare for the company to see a rat problem on this scale.

However, Jessica White said the company is working with Beaumont health officials and Orkin Pest Control to seal entry points and remedy the problem.

White says the company believes new construction in the vicinity of the shopping center disturbed the enviroment of the rodents and led to the infestation.

White says PetSmart wants to ensure that customers have a positive experience, so they are taking strides to get the problem resolved quickly.