Basil and Becky had to be put to sleep through illness in early September 2015. Becky was 16 years old and Basil 15 so they had a long and happy life.

We collected Basil and Becky in an 11 hr round trip from Dunfermline; they came as a pair and got along well with Becky being the boss and Basil understanding this. Basil would be very possessive of any toys that he got and Becky would destroy hers and then go after his – this also included food, but Basil had already decided she could have that rather than fight her for it.

They were not used to play but soon became excited about trips to the beach and the park where they had hours of fun chasing balls, sticks and the occasional seagull. Basil did have a habit of finding all sorts of animals and unfortunately they came off worse including the local Hedgehog population. They were typical Springers liking to run and run and you could bet that Becky would find the smelliest dirtiest water/mud to wallow in, she needed many baths after her walks. They were a joy to have and were company when you were on your own. We travelled around Scotland and they saw much of the beautiful countryside, relishing the sights, sounds and smells they came across. Becky did not always enjoy the trips as she was a bit car sick.

When we moved back to England 3 years ago they travelled well but they were already starting to slow down. We moved to be nearer family and they took to having more visitors and to our new Grandson very well; he loved them to bits and could always be found giving them a hug or just standing with them with his hand on their backs. They continued to enjoy many country walks and runs through the fields until they became to0 sore to do more than the walk round the block.

Through a series of problems they slowly became sicker and sicker. They were up for whatever, even towards the end, however the last week proved to be a challenge. We found it very hard to make the decision but knew in the end it was right.

This is the last photo taken of them.

They are, and always will be, our beautiful babies and are irreplaceable – we miss them every day.