Milán Tóth made one of the hardest decisions of his life when he chose his guide dog over school—a decision he has never regretted, though it came at a great cost. More than ten years later, he decided it was time to share his story. Since we trained Nelson for him, he trusted us with everything that had weighed on his heart.
“I chose my dog, which caused a huge break in my life. It had a high price, but I feel I made the right decision,”
– Milán said.
“Either the dog or the school!”
Milán and Nelson live in Ajka; our dog will turn eleven in May, has already retired, and has been replaced by Citrom, whom we also trained. The shocking events took place in 2013. when our school trained and handed over Nelson to Milán following his application.
Milán studied weaving at a special school, which he still enjoys doing at his workplace. He had a year and a half left in school when he received the good news that he would soon get his first guide dog:
When I decided I wanted a guide dog, they told me I might have to wait for it. I still had a year and a half left in school, so I didn’t mind. Eventually, the opportunity came very quickly, and Nelson arrived. However, not everyone was pleased. Two teachers turned the others against me and even had the class sign a consent form about whether Nelson could enter the school. In the end, I was faced with a choice: either the dog or the school.
The decision was difficult and had consequences. Milán ultimately left school without receiving a certificate, despite having acquired knowledge over the three years.
“I left knowing the profession; I just don’t have a paper for it. I made a good decision because Nelson is a miracle. I studied this for three years, and I have practical experience. I liked weaving from the very beginning, so I knew I wanted to work in this field.”
The law stood with him, but it proved insufficient
This humiliating procedure is particularly painful in light of the fact that Hungarian laws clearly protect the rights of service dog handlers. Therefore, Milán and Nelson should never have been faced with a choice.
According to the 2009 legislation on assistance dogs, both the handler and the trainer are entitled to be present in facilities that are open to the general public together with the assistance dog. The law specifically uses the term “use,” which means they are allowed to move around, train, and practice with the dog in these spaces.
Naturally, this does not extend to areas that are closed to the public, but they do not seek access to such places either.
They are allowed to be present in the following types of public facilities:
- on public transportation
- in shops, including grocery stores and food service establishments
- in shopping malls
- at markets
- at fairs
- in accommodation facilities (e.g., hotels, guesthouses)
- on playgrounds
- in healthcare, cultural, educational, social, child welfare, and child protection institutions
- in public baths
- in zoos
- in public spaces
The legislation can be found HERE.
Life made up for it for Milán
“At my workplace, both me and my dog are accepted. I can practice what is my profession, and I feel very lucky. I am grateful to the team of the Molnár Gábor Workshop Foundation in Ajka for welcoming us.”
Nelson was not just a dog but a companion to Milán:
Nelson helped without being asked, as if our hearts beat in unison. Before I even said it, he already knew what I wanted. We went through difficulties and joys together.
Over the years, they have had countless shared experiences. Nelson appeared as a witness at Milán’s brother’s wedding, wearing a bow tie. He guided him in a bear park, played among greyhounds at a dog-friendly beach, and they took a boat ride in Balatonfüred, where they held sensitivity workshops in kindergartens and schools.
“Even among the bears, he guided me skillfully, filtering out distractions and focusing only on me. The dog-friendly beach was a great experience, where he played among greyhounds. At the meeting on Hajógyári Island, he collected balls from other dogs because he is a huge ball fanatic. We visit Bakonyszücs, the Spiritual Rehabilitation Home for Cancer Patients. There was a little girl who had difficulty moving, and Nelson brought the ball back to her, right in front of her. He has a great sense for these things.”
Nelson protected him
“There was a time when another dog ran towards us barking from a yard. Nelson stood in front of me, protecting me with his body. It’s still amazing how calmly he handled the situation.”
Doctors and chief physicians know him and are interested in him.
“At the children’s clinic where I was treated, they grew very fond of him. One of the chief physicians always asks, ‘Is Admiral Nelson doing well?’ The doctor in Ajka also always inquires about him and asked me to introduce Citrom next year.”
Nelson radiates calm, security, and love
“We once took a boat ride in Balatonfüred, which was quite stressful for me. I was afraid of how we would get on the boat, as the entrance was narrow. But Nelson solved it. He was there the whole time, radiating calmness. He is a true Buddha, and he always transfers that energy to me.”
The guide dog not only helps with navigation. Nelson has touched lives, and according to Milán, even now, in retirement, he can still be counted on.
As before, our school emphasizes that visually impaired individuals with guide dogs can enter anywhere that others can, including schools, workplaces, healthcare facilities, stores, and any other places. A decade has silently passed over Milán’s story because he did not dare to share it with the public, which reveals everything about the many struggles that people with disabilities still have to fight for equality in Hungary.
Don’t wait until May— you can already donate 1% of your tax to the Baráthegyi Guide Dog School.
You can be sure that your tax contribution will go to a good cause, as our foundation dedicates everything to training guide dogs.
Thank you on behalf of visually impaired owners!
You can now offer 1% of your tax for guide dog training through the NAV online platform by logging into your client portal here. It only takes five minutes, and you’ll be supporting a loyal guide dog!
And here’s some more good news! If you provide your mailing address, we will send you next year’s guide dog calendar along with our thank-you letter.
Our tax number: 18449149-1-05
Please support the Baráthegyi Guide Dog School with 1% of your tax!You can read our tax 1% information here.
