Vala is a pure bred Maltese and is Sandra’s constant companion. In fact Vala is probably one of the most travelled pooches in the world, having set down her paws in places as remote as the Himalayas and Antarctica. In her first year of life, she visited 40 countries, and by her second year, she had travelled to six continents.

Vala was named after St Valentine – she was a Valentine’s Day gift to Aleksandra from her husband, Andrey.

The Maltese dog is a very old breed – Charles Darwin placed its origin at 6000BC – and has long been a favourite with royalty: including Mary Queen of Scots, Elizabeth I, Queen Victoria and Marie Antoinette.