Of course, if you’re planning to explore new territory this year, you might not be venturing out too far just yet; not only is February one of the coldest months of the year, it is also the snowiest! But part two of our mini-series ‘Stay safe!’ (page 28) should keep you on track — whatever the weather throws at you! There is advice on how to cope in extreme weather conditions, and how to stay safe around dangerous features, water, and on beaches.

It’s good to know the polar research ship, the Sir David Attenborough, has been in safe paws recently. A highly skilled team of detection dogs was deployed to sniff out any rodent stowaways on board the ship prior to its sailing to South Georgia in the South Atlantic, to protect vulnerable species. You can read the full story, and discover how these incredible dogs are trained on page 40.

Finally, the heart-warming story of refugee Arwa Omaren, and the dog she feared she might never see again, is a must-read on page 20. Separated when the war in Syria ripped their world apart, Arwa was forced to leave her Golden Retriever behind when she made a perilous journey across continents to finally reach the UK and claim asylum.

Thanks to the heroic efforts of charity War Paws, and the generosity of donors, including Your Dog readers, who learned of Arwa’s plight in our April 2021 issue, three years later the pair were reunited, and are now settled in London — a happy ending at last.