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Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.
After eight years of service, Cobra, one of the first dogs to serve in the security force of Poland’s parliament, has retired. To mark the occasion, the speaker of the lower-house Sejm, Włodzimierz Czarzasty, personally informed Cobra of the decision.
“An application for transfer to retirement?” said Czarzasty, sitting opposite the extremely well-behaved Cobra in a video published by the Sejm.
“Impeccable reputation. No disciplinary punishments. You’ve never barked in the Sejm,” he read from her files. “OK, signed. As of tomorrow, you are free.”
Cobra idzie na emeryturę! 🐕🦺
Decyzję o przejściu w stan spoczynku przypieczętował podpisem Marszałek Sejmu @wlodekczarzasty. 😉
Psy Straży Marszałkowskiej to ważny element systemu ochrony Sejmu. Czuwają nad bezpieczeństwem wszystkich osób w gmachach pozostających w zarządzie… pic.twitter.com/dKRvHOlKxe— Sejm RP🇵🇱 (@KancelariaSejmu) September 30, 2026
On a more serious note, the Sejm pointed to the vital role played by dogs in the so-called Speaker’s Guard (Straż Marszałkowska), which is responsible for security in parliament.
“They watch over the safety of all people in the buildings managed by the chancellery of the Sejm,” they wrote, thanking Cobra for eight years of “exemplary” service and wishing her well on her “well-deserved retirement”.
Two weeks ago, the Sejm announced the arrival of a new dog, Otik, who would serve as part of the Speaker’s Guard. He has worked alongside Cobra and another canine colleague, Hela, until now.
State broadcaster TVP reports that Cobra was one of the first dogs to enter service in the Speaker’s Guard. It notes that dogs serving in the force are eligible for retirement after reaching the age of nine.
Their handler has the option of taking in the dog after it retires, or they can nominate another person to care for the animal. The chancellery of the Sejm then continues to cover the costs of any veterinary care that the dog requires. It has not been revealed where and with whom Cobra will spend her retirement.
In 2021, Poland’s government moved to introduce retirement benefits for dogs and horses who had served in the police force, border guard and fire service, providing them with support after they finished working. The following year, that was extended to the prison service.
Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.
Main image credit: Kancelaria Sejmu/X
Daniel Tilles is editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland. He has written on Polish affairs for a wide range of publications, including Foreign Policy, POLITICO Europe, EUobserver and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.
