In one of the more unusual stories to emerge from Poland this autumn, passengers aboard a high-speed Pendolino train from Kraków to Warsaw were startled to discover a sheep — wearing a nappy — calmly wandering between the carriages. What began as a curious moment quickly turned into a national conversation about animal welfare, transport regulations, and common sense on public transport.
The incident occurred on November 7, 2025, and was first reported by Mariusz Krystian, a member of the Polish parliament, who happened to be on board. Krystian shared footage of the animal on social media, expressing outrage over what he described as “modern animal abuse.” The videos show the sheep bleating and appearing confused as passengers filmed the scene, with some laughing and others visibly uncomfortable. “It was scared and stressed. This is what ‘modern’ animal abuse looks like,” Krystian later wrote in a follow-up post.
The train’s operator, PKP Intercity, has clear rules regarding animals on board. According to company policy, passengers may bring cats, dogs, and other small pets, provided they do not cause a nuisance to others. Larger dogs are allowed without a carrier but must wear a muzzle and be kept on a leash. The policy, however, makes no mention of livestock, creating an unusual grey area that this case has now vividly exposed.
Krystian told the local news outlet Wadowice24.pl that he had consulted an animal expert, who confirmed that travelling alone in confined, noisy conditions could be deeply distressing for a sheep. “A sheep is a herd animal. It suffers in solitude. Moreover, such conditions are extremely stressful for it,” the expert explained. Although the animal appeared physically unharmed, witnesses reported that it seemed anxious and disoriented throughout the journey — and despite its nappy, it reportedly soiled the compartment.
The video quickly went viral on Polish social media, sparking a wave of humorous memes but also serious discussion about how animals are treated in public spaces. Some users defended the owner, suggesting that the sheep may have been a therapy or companion animal. Others sided with Krystian, arguing that the transport of farm animals on passenger trains was inappropriate and likely traumatic for the animal.
PKP Intercity has not issued an official statement on the matter, though the company recently boasted record figures for pet transport — nearly 238,500 animals travelled on its trains in the first half of 2025 alone. The “sheep incident,” as it has come to be known, may now prompt the operator to clarify or tighten its rules regarding what kinds of animals are welcome aboard.
While the sight of a sheep in a nappy on a Polish express train may seem like comic relief, it raises more serious questions about animal welfare, public responsibility, and the limits of empathy in an increasingly permissive age of travel. For now, the incident remains a viral oddity — part absurdist comedy, part cautionary tale about what happens when common sense takes a back seat to novelty.
