“Can you imagine someone physically abusing a guide dog? Unfortunately, this happened to us recently,” begins the video message of Nyőgér Réka Kiara, a young visually impaired woman who travels with a guide dog. She decided to speak out publicly so that more people understand the exceptionally close bond between a guide dog and its owner. She hopes her message will be heard, so that such a shameful incident will not happen again.

Réka Kiara Nyőgér and her guide dog, Babér, boarded a bus in Budapest’s 17th district after returning from an awareness-raising session. As part of her job, Réka holds sensitization sessions for children and adults together with her guide dog.

She described what happened on the bus in her video message.

“The children were curious and kind, the session went very well. So we got on the bus in a cheerful mood, where it was very crowded. Because of the lack of space, Babér brushed against one of our fellow passengers’ shopping bag, at which point the person sitting next to it started calling me all kinds of vulgar names (such as whore), demanded that I ‘get that filthy beast away,’ and then went on to kick my dog.

Guide dogs are generally highly appreciated in society, and it is rare for them to be abused. Even so, the Baráthegyi Guide Dog and Assistance Dog School Foundation cannot remain silent when a dog they have trained is treated this violently. And we have good reasons for this.

Five years ago, another of our dogs, Gyömbér, was severely injured by a loose dog and had to undergo two surgeries before recovering. In 2024, Zenit was attacked in a similar way. The visually impaired owner’s two sons bravely protected him, preventing more serious injuries, although his ear had to be stitched.

“Unfortunately, there are people whose aggression is not restrained even by the fact that they are abusing the guide dog of a visually impaired person,” Réka concluded her video message.

Let’s take care of guide dogs

This story carries several important lessons. One of them is that the physical safety of guide dogs is an invaluable treasure. Training such a helper dog, along with its roughly ten-year working life, costs our foundation more than 6 million HUF, and the waiting list is long—currently 47 people are waiting for a guide dog.

Therefore, we and the owners of assistance dogs ask everyone to pay attention to these loyal companions: never harm them under any circumstances, and do not let them become victims of carelessness. The only acceptable reason for a guide dog to retire should be its well-earned old age.

Despite the high costs, we always provide our guide dogs free of charge to visually impaired applicants. The funds needed for training come from 1% tax donations and other contributions. 

This year, we celebrate our 20th anniversary. Over the past two decades, we have handed over more than 200 guide dogs free of charge.

Please support their training by donating 1% of your income tax!

Tax number for 1% donations: 18449149–1–05
Baráthegy Guide and Assistance Dog School Foundation

If you provide your mailing address, we will also send you our guide dog calendar for next year along with our thank-you letter.

The easiest way to donate 1% of your tax is through the Hungarian Tax Authority’s online platform using your Client Gateway account.

Réka’s message: Let us treat each other and animals with respect

After the incident, Réka addressed people with the following message. Her goal is to help as many people as possible understand what a guide dog means to its owner. We are publishing her words without any changes, hoping they will have an even greater impact.

“After the incident, the rage raging inside me was briefly replaced by pity. I felt pity for a person who completely lacks empathy and who is not restrained by anything from harming a defenseless animal. Especially a guide dog. A dog that works every day to provide safety, independence, and freedom to its owner. It is incomprehensible to me how anyone can approach such an animal with anger, hatred, or aggression.

What left the deepest mark on me was wondering how much Babér understood from the whole situation. Was she frightened? Was she disturbed by the shouting, the aggression, and the tension? Will this experience leave any negative memories in her? A guide dog is not only a disciplined and intelligent companion but also a living, feeling being. They sense moods, tension, and uncertainty. And although they often appear stronger than they truly are, human cruelty can leave a mark on them as well.

To me, Babér is not ‘just a dog.’ She is my companion, my safety, and a part of my everyday life. She is the one beside me on the streets, in traffic, and during both difficult and easy moments. Her physical, emotional, and psychological well-being is more important to me than anything else. That is why situations like this are painful not because they affect me, but because they affect her as well. Because when someone harms or threatens a guide dog, they are not only attacking an animal but also a relationship and a bond of trust.

Perhaps that is why it was so moving for me when we got off the bus and Babér continued guiding me calmly, her tail wagging as always. There was no sign of anger, fear, or uncertainty in her. She simply carried on doing her job, just as she always does. And perhaps that gave me the strength not to let pain be the only thing I took away from this experience.

Because I still believe in and dream of a world where compassion is not considered something special. A world where it is natural to treat one another and animals with respect. A world where a guide dog is not the target of attacks but is surrounded by appreciation. A world where people do not remain silent when someone suffers an injustice. And where every living being receives the respect and safety to which they are entitled.”

Many people stand by Réka and Babér!

Several media outlets shared Réka’s message with their readers. The first publication appeared in Blikk, after which it was picked up by several others. Later, the professional director of our foundation spoke on RTL Klub and condemned the abuser.