One City Council member says she’s found the solution to getting rid of our pesky neighbors: rats.

Julie Menin, of District 5, partnered with Urban Pest Management back in the fall to create a rat burrow extermination program.

“We received hundreds and hundreds of complaints of people in the district about rats, and it's completely unacceptable that rats are proliferating not only in this neighborhood, but quite frankly, all over the city,” explained Menin, adding, “So, we decided to get very aggressive about it and really try to think outside of the box.”

The solution? The Burrow Rx.

“It puts out carbon monoxide levels – large amounts – that will kill a rat or a mouse in a tree pit or underneath a sidewalk. It leaves no chemicals, no pesticides, and there's no danger to pets or children as we're doing it,” said Matthew Deodato, president of Urban Pest Management, adding, “There’s no secondary kill. We don't have to worry about a bird or a cat coming along eating a dead caucus.”

Deodato explains that the carbon monoxide is contained in the ground so there’s no threat to humans.

According to Menin and Deodato, the program’s successful results yielded that rat burrows on East 86th Street went from 100 to nearly zero, and re-infestation is slim to none so far.

Additionally, if the rats do attempt to escape when the machine begins, pest control standby is ready to exterminate them.

“If you walk into a room full of smoke you’re going to stop and get out – this is what happens to them too,” said Deodato.

Now, Menin says she is going to fund this again and is advocating for it to be used city-wide, as the city struggles to maintain its rat problem.