Tamás Mezősi Dr
I am a teacher. I was mentoring other students even in my school age, and unto this day, though in a different form, I am still living for this passion. I received my education and teacher diploma at Kossuth Lajos University of Science, I gained my diploma in law and economy at Miskolc University, I got my Rehabilitation professional for visual impairment diploma at Eötvös Loránd University. Furthermore, I received qualification for training therapy dogs, guide dogs, service dogs for motor impaired and seizure alert dogs. I am continuously learning unto this day: profession, humanity, teamwork. I am able to apply all of those at our Foundation. I train dogs, teach people with disability, and support my colleagues, but my main task is to ensure the financial background of the Foundation. I lead the work of the Foundation deliberately and with great professional humbleness.
I serve my country as a volunteer rescue dog handler at Hunor Common Rescue Team.
(Trafi 2018, Fecske 2016, Fanni 2015, Marcipán 2015, Ebu 2014, Kenobi 2014, Szilaj 2014, Pax 2014, Ében 2012, Rusty 2012. Borcsa 2012, Tami 2012, Blake 2011, Bogyó 2011, Maci 2011, Joey 2010, Opál 2009, Dió 2008, Fiona 2008, Labda 2000)
My Service Dogs
- Labda (Ball): (28 11 1998 – 14 07 2012) She is a Labrador retriever spayed dog. She started her rescue dog „career” beside the famous Mancs at the Special Rescue Team of Miskolc. She got the highest level of international qualification in ruins’ search, area search, and tracing as well. She worked abroad first after the earthquake in Turkey (2000). When aging, Labdácska was very effective as a therapy dog, she participated in all of our programmes, we could count on her confident knowledge and determination.
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- Dió (Walnut): (June 2006 – April 2019) She was born in 2006, she is a Labrador retriever, spayed dog whose parents were rescue dogs as well. She also became a successful rescue dog; We participated together in the rescue after the earthquake in Sumatra (2009). Dió also got the highest level of international qualification for area search and ruin search by the age of 6 years. She was effective as a therapy and demonstrator dog as well, due to her kind personality and great working capacity.
- Trafi: 2015- He is a trained guide dog, service dog for motor impaired people and a seizure alert dog. I give demonstration with him on the work expected from the service dogs, to the people living with disability and turning to us for information. He is also a trained therapy dog who helps with me in the home of adolescent autistic people. As a third scope of his activities as a rescue dog, he gained the highest international qualification in ruin search and area search. We volunteer together for the HUNOR Common Rescue Team, e.g., we participated in the Vigorous Warrior 19 NATO Peace drill.
Piroska Komondi
I have agriculture engineer diploma. I have been dealing with dogs since my 13 years of age: including exhibitions, dealing with hunting dogs, blood tracking, breeding, organising and leading Beagle dog school. I also learnt dog grooming, and dog training, then I found myself in the middle of the rescue dog world. As a training leader I coordinated the development of 15-25 dogs of the team, over 6 years. I also trained my own dogs. Meanwhile organising and executing several searching dog demonstrations, examinations and competitions, I participated in real searching, international practicing as well. I also completed paramedic training and I participated in a volunteer fire-fighter course. I also worked in an ambulance as a paramedic.
I trained searching dogs, then in the Foundation I trained guide dogs. At the same time, I was working as a veterinary assistant.
I regularly participate in further trainings for trainers, and veterinary assistants and in the subject of ethology to enable myself to complete my work on an appropriate level.
2008 Due to visiting a rehabilitation teacher training, I became more effective in my work for training guide dogs.
2011 I was qualified as a Habilitation dog trainer.
2017 I was qualified as a Guide dog trainer.
2018 I was qualified as a Service dog for motor impaired trainer
2018 I participated in a seminar in Australia, organised by IGDF (International Guide dog Federation) and in a conference for breeders in England (UK).
2019 In the spring, I participated in a conference organised by EGDF (European Guide Dog Federation) in Tallin, Estonia.
2019 I participated in a 3-week course for breeders at the Guiding Eyes for the Blind (NY State, USA) organised by their School for Guide dogs.
2020 We (our Foundation) initiated a middle European network for breeders with other European schools for guide dogs, involving international experts.
(Mézes 2014, Jampi 2013, Frida 2013, Demi 2013, Miksa 2012, Mandula 2009, Rusty 2019)
My service dog:
- Diamond: February 2012, she is a female Labrador whose ancestors are in a working lineage. She happily demonstrates in our programmes for adults and children as well, showing how guide dogs can lead. She is very sensitive, who is able to adapt to every person who is intrerested, she can guide everyone at their own pace. She is also trained as a searching dog.
Mária Kovács Nyíriné
I have a strong bond to dogs since my childhood; I always collected the dogs in the neighbourhoods and took them home. My parents had to realise that I needed a dog on my own, so I was 8 years old when I got my fist dog, a Caucasian mix dog. I started to train guide dogs in the Csepel Dog School in 1992, my first dog was a „fairy” Labrador female. One very rarely meets such a good-natured dog, she nearly helped me to train her. I spent 6 years at Csepel Dog School and several training and handing over the dogs is associated with my name. I was on maternity leave with my children until 2007. I missed dealing with dogs, therefore I joined to a foundation in 2008 which was terminated in December 2010 due to lack of financial resources. After this I contacted Baráthegyi Foundation, where I got the opportunity to continue the job which became a part of my life.
I hope that my work, provides the opportunity for several blind person to participate in the traffic with a well-trained guide dog.
2011 I completed exam and got qualification as a trainer for Habilitation dogs.
2017 I completed exam and got qualification as a trainer for Guide dogs.
(Mokka (Mocca) 2020, Geniusz (Genius) 2020, Kávé (Coffee) 2020, Körte (Pear) 2020, Ion 2019, Ikon (Icon) 2019, Dolly 2019, Indigó (Carbon) 2018, Bruno 2018, Dolly 2017, Gordon 2017, Gandhi 2017, Felhő (Cloud) 2016, Gesztenye (Chestnut) 2016, Gamma 2016, Fülöp (Philip) 2016, Fidzsi (Fiji) 2016, Bonca 2015, Bözsi (Beth) 2015, Fahéj (Cinnamon) 2015, Elvis 2014, Tex 2014, Maya 2014, Kira 2014, Cassie 2013, Vacak (Measly) 2013, Andy 2013, Mézi (Maisy) 2012, Dani (Dany) 2012, Jerry 2012, Frodó 2011, Mázli (Fluke) 2010)
Mónika Köbli
I graduated from the environmental research major of the University of Debrecen in 2004. I used to be an environmental administrative clerk in a Mayor’s Office for many years. I continuously had the feeling that something was missing from my life and it took long time for me to realise what it was. They were the dogs and that I wanted to help those people who are really in need. And then, came the divine spark. I contacted a foundation which was specialised in training guide dogs and I was working only in this field from the beginning of 2010. The foundation got bankrupt, but with my colleague, we were not the type who easily give up. After being in a blind alley many times, we finally found Baráthegyi Foundation for School for Guide Dogs and Service Dogs, where finally we found those aims, moral and ideological norms which are guiding the foundation and important for us as well. I hope I can strengthen our team as long as possible, and together we can make many needy person’s life easier! May be so…
I completed my exams and got my qualification as a trainer for Habilitation dogs in 2011, and as a trainer for Guide dogs in 2017.
(Latte 2021, Mese 2020, Inga 2019, Frutti 2016, Tesla 2016, Gina 2015, Bogi 2015, Oti 2014, Emi 2014, Morisz 2014, Dana 2014, Nico 2013, Szeder 2013, Rusty 2012, Trevor 2012, Tami 2012, Ében 2012, Dennis 2011)
Darinka Farkas
As long as I can recall, I always loved dogs, I admired their loyalty and character. I was a little child, when I got Sheila Hockenn’s wonderful biography, “Emma and I”, from my mother. This novel incredibly sensitively described the selfless and affectionate relationship between the guide dog and her visually impaired owner. This captivating story had impressed me so much, that from then on, if someone asked me “what will I be when I grow up?” I answered, a trainer for guide dog. And so, it happened!
After graduation I completed education and qualified as a patrol dog trainer, then a habilitation dog trainer, and then as a guide dog trainer. I was so lucky that after school I was employed by the Guide dog Training School of the National Association for the Hungarian Blind and Visually Impaired People, where I was working as a guide dog trainer for 12 years.
This year my life had reached such a turning point that I had to change, but I did not want to give up my profession. The Baráthegyi School for Guide Dog6666 provided the opportunity for me to continue my work with these wonderful dogs and to further develop my professional knowledge by joining to its team and help my fellow visually impaired people regain independence.
(Brendon 2017, Gyömbér (Ginger) 2017, Bagira 2020, Aysha 2018, Hablaty (Chatty) 2018, Ice 2019, Szamos 2019, Bebe 2020, Kapitány (Captain) 2021, Morze 2021)
Emese Barkóczi Királyné
I graduated as a physiotherapist in 2011 and already at that time I applied motor development with dog assistance. After this, I qualified as a habilitation dog trainer, then I was working in the Child Rehabilitation Department of a County Hospital almost for four years where I developed children using individual and group therapies with the assistance of my own therapy dogs. I ran dog school, and participated in preparing assistance dogs for therapy work. I provided early intervention not only as a physiotherapist but as a therapy dog’s handler as well. With my therapy dogs, we are regular visitors to the home of intellectually impaired adults and elderly people.
In 2016, the Foundation asked me if I wanted to join to their team as a dog trainer and I was very happy to answer yes. I considered this noble profession as a challenge and I observed with admiration how a lovely Labrador become a loyal partner for a visually impaired person. I qualified as a trainer of assistance dog for motor impaired in 2018, then as a trainer of guide dog in 2020.
As the trainer of the Foundation, I assisted several labours of our breeding dog, two litters of puppies were born and raised for eight weeks in my home. I regularly test the puppies as I complete the denominating ceremony with my dog, Bóbita’s help. My main activity is to train the young Labradors as guide dogs and hand them over to their blind owners. As a physiotherapist I help visually impaired people develop their motor coordination. The preparation of the therapy dogs of the Foundation and providing therapies are my passion. With my colleagues I regularly participate in events and visit schools for giving education programmes.
(Google 2017, Mandy 2018, Infra 2018, Cora 2019, Iram (Pace) 2019, Kiwi 2019, Kürtös (Horney) 2020, Milka 2020, Müzli 2020, Alma (Apple) 2020)
My service dogs:
Bóbita: She is a spayed female Labrador born in 2014. She is a licenced therapy dog and participated in developing children in nursery homes, hospitals and schools. She makes everyone smiling with her kind and easy-going personality. She likes people a lot, and she works with anyone with pleasure, we can count on her either working with my colleagues or with me during education programmes. She is a therapy and demonstrator dog at the Foundation, everyone can try with her how does it feel walking with a guide dog blindfolded. She is helping in the denomination ceremony to pick up the names among from those sent by our followers.
Tami: She is a spayed female Border collie born in 2016. Her life started with a sport „carrier”, but soon it appeared that she was talented not only in canicross and other dog sports but she was suitable for therapy dog due to her loving personality and intelligence. She was qualified as a therapy dog of the Foundation in 2018. Her middle size and half-long hair charm everyone, and she gives great happiness to the persons participating in the therapy due to her great cooperation skills, workaholic kind and endless energy.
Zoltán Vida
I’ve been strengthening the Baráthegyi team since 2013. I got to know the work of the Foundation at first as a client, when I applied for my guide dog. I know by experience that how great help can be given by such a wonderful dog to its visually impaired owner. Therefore, it is a great pleasure for me that I can work for my fellows and the guide dogs.
My job is to test the guide dogs in the last part of their training, if they are ready for the cooperation with a visually impaired person. Besides I teach informatics to visually impaired people thereby supporting them to get to know and take advantage of the development of the technology. My other important task is to participate in education programmes where people get insight of the world of visually impaired people.
Barnabás Fedor
I started to work for the Foundation as a caretaker at the end of 2017. My duty is to keep the buildings and their surroundings in order, furthermore to prepare everything needed for dog trainings. I also do my best to support the team’s work with my ideas and creativity, and co-operate in completing the Foundation’s plans for the future. The family kind atmosphere and the direct working relationship with my colleagues encouraging me for constant development.
Zita Kériné Lukács
Volunteering has accompanied me throughout my life since the secondary school. I helped wherever I had the opportunity, that’s how I got to the Baráthegyi School for Guide Dogs. Here I found my real profession. By now, I am the general director of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation and the member of its advisory board. My duty is to ensure the transparent and economical operation of the foundation, support my colleagues in development, and continuously provide safe and appropriate working environment for them. I got qualification as an accountant beside my economist diploma, and I successfully completed mediator training in order to complete my leader work effectively.
Gabriella Tőkei
I am the bookkeeper of the Foundation. The love of nature and animals always took a central place in my family, especially the love of our 4-legged friends. Though my profession is the world of the numbers, I was very happy when I became a colleague of the Foundation in 2017. My duty is complete book keeping, accounting, tax returns, reports and up-to-date application of the accounting and tax laws. Beside all of these I happily help in professional events and education programmes.
Adrienn Csontos
Helping others was always important for me. I was looking for an organisation whose mission I could identify with. A place where I can help people in need that way, that I can be among dogs I adore since my childhood. I joined to the Foundation as a volunteer in 2011. I participated in the communication of the Foundation for years. Now I am the coordinator of our volunteers. I bring together those dedicated and enthusiastic people who want to act for visually impaired people and for our guide dogs. Besides, I organise education programmes, and I am also responsible for completing different events. One of the main feature of our Foundation is the formation of social attitude which I also consider important therefore I organise those events with pleasure as well.
Kinga Kozmóczki-Kövesdi
I knew since my childhood that I want to study in such schools and work at such a workplace where the nature, plants and animals are in focus. It was a turning point in my life, that I got employed in a countryside ZOO where I was a volunteer before. From then on, taking care of exotic animals and forming attitude with them became an essential part of my everyday life. During the seven years I spent there I felt that one of my most important goal was that people must get to know and accept the diverse wildlife of our planet. With my positive experience and enthusiasm, I gained during my previous work I got to Baráthegyi School for Guide Dogs in May 2021 to strengthen their team as a communication specialist. I was not disappointed, I became a part of an enthusiastic, determined and purposeful team, where I can further develop and improve my knowledge. I believe that I can support to fulfil the goals of our Foundation with an appropriate communication and with information and knowledge transfer as well. It means a lot to me that I can be part of this collaboration which by we can act together for our visually impaired people.
Judit Erdélyi
I adopted my first dog in my life from an animal shelter in 2011. With him, I began my constant learning in the world of dog training, which has continued ever since.
Since 2022, I have been helping volunteer puppy raisers make the raising time as easy as possible with the puppies we raise, and to give them a stable and good foundation for training.
Orsolya Látrányi
I have loved dogs for as long as I can remember. With over 30 years of experience in dog training I can proudly tell that my work is my passion. The dogs I train, learn by playing. When did my passion for dogs started? Please allow me to lead you back to my past and show you the way led me where I am now:
I read all existing books and magazines about dogs when I was a child: type description, raising a dog, methods of dog trainings. My first dog was an Irish Setter whom I took to the OMSE dog school led by the internationally recognised Mr Béla Szopó. My Setter, called Alex performed outstandingly not only in the dog school but in exhibitions and in the hunting school as well.
Later we got a family favourite beside Alex who was a Miniature Dachshund, and an English Bullterrier whom with we strengthened the working dog lineage. My destiny brought me together with my next love, training and working with rescue dogs 23 years ago, after seeing a report on TV, I have decided to join to a Budapest team (PKKM) – today it is called Foundation for Dogs Without Borders. Their exercises, deployments and seminars greatly improved my professional knowledge. Beside all of these, I took on home trainings, dog boardings, and consultations as well. Considering the dogs, my thirst for knowledge did not know limits: I completed courses for dog cosmetics, I was working as a veterinary assistant as well. My experience with dogs goes back for 30 years, but I think learning and development are still important. Positive reinforcement and playing are the cornerstones of my teaching method, as beside a happily learning dog, the owner is pleased as well, who will be able to control his dog when I will not be there. I got the opportunity to work as a trainer for the Baráthegyi School for Guide Dogs in January 2022. I gladly accepted this challenge because I felt I would be able to learn, develop, and get to know another type of training method, and which is the most important that with a well-trained dog, I can make life easier for a visually impaired person.
Lilla Greutter
Since I was very young, helping and volunteering have been my passion, whether it’s with people or animals, and I’ve always been interested in the world of media. Earlier, I wanted to play a role in it. I thought, I would get rich from this and support various foundations for their survival and development. But when I was fourteen, a thought came, what if I were the one, who with her work would help these foundations and individuals become better known. After this, I started volunteering. I handled the social media pages for one year, for a rising authoress in Miskolc. During this year, I experienced the basics of marketing, however, my experience began to really grow when I took over the entire communications area of our local Christian community. For the sake of my professional development, in 2022, I started my higher education study at the University of Economics in Budapest, in the hope that I can settle in a working place, I have always wanted. My point of views included that my “dream job” should serve a good aim, be animal friendly, and allow me to utilize my passion for marketing. I felt my expectations were too high as a beginner, and then I discovered the Foundation. In October 2022, I started to work for the Baráthegyi as social media colleague. Since then, my primary goal has been to introduce more people to the world of visually impaired people and guide dogs, and to contribute to the stability of the Foundation through my continuous development. I feel grateful to be able to work here.
Ádám Balogh
I am a psychologist by education. I got my diploma at University of Debrecen in 2016 and I started to work right after, at that time in the area of child protection. However, even during my university years, I was concerned with the inclusion and support of people living with disability. In 2021 I joined to the Rehabilitation Centre for Visually Impaired People and in addition, I took the opportunity to join the guide dog training and the work processes there. In 2024 I already, in a full-time job as a psychologist, supported the work of the Foundation. In addition to visually impaired applicants and clients, I assist trainers in their work and the puppy raising processes. I help in the process of choosing and training puppy raisers, and one of my important tasks in the closure of the puppy raising time to organise the training for supporting the handover of the puppies. I have been interested in psychology since my childhood, I feel close to dogs too, therefore my work in the Foundation provides me lot of opportunity for my development. Beside my work as a psychologist, I endeavour to follow the new results of researches, questions and innovations on international level. I continuously improve my knowledge in areas of psychology as well as in dog training and puppy raising, and over the past few years I have participated in clinical psychology training.
Viktor Tóth
Furtherance and giving help people, I think have been part of my life since my childhood. My mother used to tell the story about our trip to Budapest, as a small-town child. This was the first time when I met a homeless person, and I wanted to “save” him at all cost. The small change we gave him seemed little for me, and I wanted to go back to him all the time to “lets help the person because he is starving”. Handling dogs has also been part of my life since my childhood. My grandfathers and ankles were herdsmen and shepherds, so I grew up among lot of dogs and most of them were trained dogs. Already at that time a got familiar with a type of training method such as the herding dog training. As a young adult, I drifted away from this trend, the profession itself had almost completely died out by that time and we used the parforce method to train working dogs. I am not really proud of this today, but that was the trend at that time and I learned about dogs a lot from this too. At that time, I already felt, that helping people must be an important part of my life, because I feel myself complete when I can work like this. First, I became a municipal, then a professional firefighter, in addition I became a basic obedience instructor at a local dog school, where we already used the positive reinforcement for training dogs and their owners. So, dealing with dogs and the “helping” line were also part of my life. The world was a perfect place for me. Until I had to retire for health reason. Then I spent several years searching for my way in all kinds of jobs but I could not find my place anywhere. My family and my dos always gave me tremendous strength not to give up. It paid off, because the Foundation responded positively to my application, so I was able to start my work in the spring 2025. This is a completely new path in my life, that I want explore the fullest, because I feel like I have found may place in the world again. I can provide help to people in need and I can train dogs to support them. At present I am completing a course of Habilitation Dog Training which is the basis of everything, and besides, with the help of my Mentor, I train Tango so that he can help soon a visually impaired person in his everyday life.
Anikó Karácsonyi
I joined to the team of the Foundation in 2024 as a database co-ordination. I felt already in the first few days that I got into a special community: here, everyone works for a noble cause and every small task contributes to ensuring that guide dogs and assistant dogs can be put to work, making the everyday life easier for the visually impaired people. My main tasks are to manage databases, to maintain systems, provide precise data’s and to keep registers up to date. In addition, I prepare reports and analyses that my colleagues can always work with reliable information. Although it may seem “quiet background” work, but it is very important for me, as accurate data is essential for the Foundation’s operation. I like systematization and it makes me happy the I can contribute with my analysing work to this mission. Beside my work, I participate with pleasure in community programmes, education events and in the practice of dog trainings. I have been close to nature and animals since my childhood. I have always admired how loyal companion dogs are, but it was here that I truly understood the special abilities that assistance dogs have. It is fantastic to see that a dog is able to give confidence, independence and freedom to a blind person. This relationship is not only touching but inspiring as well, it reminds me that my work is more than administration: it is a contribution to improve a human’s destiny. I am proud to be part of a dedicated team that works to help visually impaired people live fuller, freer life. I believe that accurate data and consistent background work help the Foundation’s mission. For me, it is not only a workplace, but a community, where every little step counts, where the special bond between dogs and people gives me strength every day.
Dorottya Czagány
My love of dogs has accompanied me throughout my life, but I brought home my first dog on 10 March 2024. Adopting a sick, club footed dog (Málna), was perhaps the most defining decision of my life, yet I would never make it in any other way. Málna (Raspberry) became my huge motivation for me in everyday life, and made me feel I wanted to do more to help more. That’s when the job ad caught my eyes: “Work with your dog”. Needless to say, this sentence alone was enough to get me completely excited, so of course I applied. When I first entered the centre, I felt as if I had arrived at my destination. Lots of dogs, kind people – I felt I belong here. It made me very happy that I could start to work here in November 2024. I became a member of the communication team, which is splendid, as I really like talking and chatting. Maintaining individual relationships is my main task – e-mails, phone calls, answering letters. In addition, I got a great role in editing our off-line newsletter. This project made me tense a little at the beginning as our letters are received by thousands of people from month to month. It did not take long for this initial excitement and fear to turn into enthusiasm. The other member of the editing team is Tamás, from whom I learn a lot, and this really motivates me.
I consider myself a particularly creative person but I was not able to utilize this in my previous jobs. However, at the Foundation, they are always open to my ideas, and provide opportunities for continuous development; they support me in becoming a graphic designer, and learning to take photos. Beyond my own small successes, perhaps what I enjoy most, is that with every conversation and event we get closer to the society better understanding and accepting people with visual impairment. I can definitely say that I love my job, my colleagues, and the fact, this way, as a unit, we can really help.
