Disabled in a heatwave: Were talking about survival

Emily Davison says soaring temperatures force her to put the welfare of her guide dog, Rosie, before her own independence.

“The dog’s health has to come first,” Davison said.

Davison is a London-based journalist and content creator, but heatwaves have forced her to cancel journeys to events because it is often too hot for Rosie to travel safely – missing out on potential earnings.

Public transport like buses often overheat and she avoids Uber after “too many experiences where they’ve not let me in with a dog”.

She says finding available taxis has become more difficult, even with London Taxicard scheme, a subsidised taxi service for people with mobility impairments or severe sight loss.

Davison says every trip now requires careful planning, which can make her feel isolated and limits both her work and independence.

“It does put the brakes on your life,” she said. “When you’re in this situation and you’ve got a guide dog and you can’t do anything, it does make certain things grind to a halt.”

She is now spending long periods working from home – but says she is lucky to be still able to do this but not all disabled people can.

“I think the culture of being able to work from home and have that option is really important to keep ensuring that disabled people can still be in employment,” Davison said.