{
  "id": 10962179,
  "title": "Speaker of Polish parliament signs off on service dog’s retirement after eight years of “exemplary” service",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/speaker-of-polish-parliament-signs-off-on-service-dogs-retirement",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-30T14:07:48.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Notes from Poland",
    "slug": "notes-from-poland",
    "url": "https://notesfrompoland.com/2026/09/30/speaker-of-polish-parliament-signs-off-on-service-dogs-retirement-after-eight-years-of-exemplary-service/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Polish parliament's Speaker Włodzimierz Czarzasty has approved the retirement of Cobra, a service dog who served the Sejm for eight years. Speaking in a video, Czarzasty praised Cobra's impeccable reputation, noting that she never barked in the Sejm and had never faced disciplinary action. As of tomorrow, Cobra will be free to retire. The Speaker's Guard, responsible for security within parliament, is crucial to maintaining safety in the buildings managed by the Sejm's chancellery. The Sejm thanked Cobra for her service and wished her a well-deserved retirement. Two weeks ago, a new dog named Otik joined the Speaker's Guard, working alongside Cobra and Hela until now. Cobra was among the first dogs to serve in the Speaker's Guard upon its establishment. Dogs in the force are eligible for retirement at age nine, with their handlers choosing to keep them or to nominate someone else for care. The Sejm chancellery then assumes responsibility for any veterinary expenses. It remains unclear where and with whom Cobra will spend her retirement. In 2021, the Polish government began providing retirement benefits for dogs and horses who had served in various law enforcement roles, an expansion that included the prison service the following year.",
  "summary": "Cobra was one of the first dogs to serve in the security force of Poland's parliament.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}