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Only in New York would someone look up at the sky and wonder if that pigeon’s carrying lunch—or a little something else. The Travel Agency, one of the city’s buzziest cannabis dispensaries, just launched what might be its most quintessentially New York innovation yet: the Cannabis Carrier Pigeon Program.
Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like. The company took flight with a pilot (pun intended) delivery test using real pigeons outfitted with mini backpacks to carry up to one gram of cannabis across the city. The trial featured a flock of 20 birds completing symbolic routes under the watchful eye of professional pigeon handlers and animal safety staff. Each bird’s pack went through multiple prototypes to ensure comfort, and trainers said the pigeons “adapted in just a few days.”
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“As The Travel Agency, it’s only natural we’d explore all modalities of travel for our delivery service, even pigeons,” said Arana Hankin-Biggers, co-founder of The Travel Agency. “And being in NYC, we thought there’s no better courier than the ever-present and beloved pigeon.”
The test earned humane treatment certification and while the project sounds like a marketing stunt—and, frankly, it’s an excellent one—the brand insists it’s part of a genuine push to rethink delivery in a city defined by gridlock and grit. By using the birds that already outnumber New Yorkers, The Travel Agency says it’s exploring a model that’s both sustainable and delightfully absurd in equal measure.
If all goes according to plan, the program will expand in 2026, with trained birds flying directly from the company’s Downtown Brooklyn and Manhattan dispensaries to destinations across three boroughs. The company is calling it the fastest and most environmentally friendly delivery option in the city (though they’ve yet to confirm how they plan to navigate apartment buzzers).
“The Cannabis Carrier Pigeon Program is not about putting birds to work; it’s about reimagining delivery with a very New York sense of ingenuity,” reads the announcement.
In an era of drone drops and 15-minute delivery apps, it’s oddly comforting that New York’s newest couriers are the same ones who’ve been circling its skies for centuries—just with slightly chicer accessories this time.
For now, keep your eyes on the skies. If a pigeon lands near you with a suspiciously stylish backpack, your order might just have arrived.