New York City is taking a new approach to tackle its rat problem by using carbon monoxide to eliminate the pests. While some of the dead rats are carried away, others are given a burial. Matt Deodato, an exterminator involved in the rat battle in New York, explained to Insider why he prefers this method.
Deodato collapses the burrows where rats reside after killing them with carbon monoxide. Previously, he relied on companies to remove the dead rats, but he now believes leaving them there has its benefits. According to Deodato, the presence of smoke deters rats from entering an area, as they associate it with danger. In his words, “If you walk into a room and it’s full of smoke, you’re going to presume there’s a fire there and you’re going to stay out of that room, right? You’re not going to walk into a smokey house and say, ‘Oh, it’s okay, it’s a little smoke.'” Deodato, also known as “Matt the Rat Killer,” believes rats respond in a similar way when they detect the odor of decaying matter, assuming that whatever killed the rat could kill them too. Therefore, by leaving the dead rats in the burrows, he hopes to discourage other rats from burrowing in the same areas.
New York City has been struggling with its rat infestation problem, with nearly 3.2 million rat sightings reported by residents last year. The city has tried various methods, including outdoor traps and rat poison, but recently found success with pumping carbon monoxide into rat burrows. According to Gothamist, the city managed to eliminate almost all the rats from 100 burrows on a street in the Upper East Side using this method. Deodato described it as a quick and effective solution.
The battle against rats in New York City continues, but with the use of carbon monoxide, the city may have found a more humane and efficient approach.
