Polish Sejm Speaker signs retirement decree for security dog Cobra after eight years

Retirement ceremony in the Sejm

The Chancellery of the Sejm published an official video on 30 September 2026 marking the retirement of Cobra, a black service dog in the Marshal's Guard. Speaker of the Sejm Włodzimierz Czarzasty sat at his office desk with a stylized registry book to review the formal application for transfer to retired status. Cobra sat on a chair opposite the parliamentary speaker throughout the ceremonial review, listening as Czarzasty read aloud her service record. The evaluation noted eight years of active duty, an exemplary performance rating, and a complete absence of disciplinary penalties. Upon signing the decree, Czarzasty relieved the dog of duty with orders to rest, while the Chancellery thanked her for years of dedicated protection. As a symbolic severance package, Cobra received a dedicated supply of her favourite food before transitioning into domestic care with her regular handler.

“Application for transfer to retired status. Eight years in service, impeccable record, no disciplinary penalties, you never barked in the Sejm.”

Reference to parliamentary debate incident

The lighthearted reference to barking addressed an incident that took place inside the Sejm chamber on 4 September 2026. During an address by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Law and Justice parliamentarian Dominika Chorosińska began making barking sounds from the parliamentary benches. The audible barking was captured on video recordings and entered directly into the official parliamentary stenographic transcript as barking noises. Chorosińska later defended her actions by stating that the sounds were intended as a political commentary directed at the defence minister. The matter subsequently moved to the Parliamentary Ethics Committee for disciplinary review, while Czarzasty publicly criticized the deterioration of parliamentary decorum during a television interview.

“Really, standards are falling.”

Role of the canine security unit

Canine officers within the Marshal's Guard function as regular security personnel assigned to protect the parliament complex and its visitors. The trained dogs conduct perimeter patrols, inspect vehicles entering parliamentary grounds, and assist specialized pyrotechnicians with explosive detection routines. Cobra concluded her eight-year tenure as one of the most recognizable security animals working across the buildings administered by the Sejm Chancellery. After the speaker finalized the paperwork, the dog offered a single bark before jumping down from her chair to conclude the staged procedure.

Squad updates and service history

The retirement of Cobra coincides with broader roster adjustments in the canine unit of the parliamentary security services. In January 2025, the Sejm Chancellery announced the introduction of Hela, a two-year-old German Shepherd assigned to assist pyrotechnic teams in safeguarding parliamentary premises. In May 2025, Senate Marshal Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska hosted an official meeting with guard dogs Cobra, Hela, and Chuck to observe National Animal Rights Day. In the first half of September 2026, the Marshal's Guard expanded its operational team by officially introducing another German Shepherd named Otik. These working animals remain under the constant supervision of their dedicated handlers, ensuring continuous protection throughout the parliamentary estate.