Monique Devereux, former chief reporter at the Herald and now Christchurch correspondent for Radio New Zealand, is at the Cricket World Cup. She brings nzherald.co.nz regular news and views from the West Indies
KEY POINTS:
Spotting wildlife or even common domestic animals in Barbados was a rarity, with the exception of the noisy blackbirds and pigeons.
But in St Lucia there are animals everywhere. It is obviously something to do with the vastly different landscape, but it is hard to leave the hotelroom without standing on a little lizard, and - I doubt I'll see one - but this island is home to the boa constrictor.
Yesterday a goat had to be chased off the pitch before the Black Caps could start training and everywhere you go in the little towns, there are dogs wandering the streets.
Not aggressive dogs (or goats) but plenty of them.
While there is no obvious evidence of it, there are dogs in Barbados too – fighting dogs.
It is a cruel sport the Government there is cracking down on, as with the "sport" of fighting cocks in which two aggressive male birds are left to fight it to the death and those watching lay bets on which one will win.
Obviously it's a seedy, private practice and not solely restricted to Barbados, but the country's campaign to crack down on it is quite public, and very commendable.
The woman in a shop here, who is originally from Barbados, told me she was glad to no longer see or hear of such abuse.
Animals, she said, should be treated with respect.
Then she asked me if I would please leave my goat outside. I hadn't noticed but apparently it had followed me all the way along the street and into the shop.
And if it hadn't left its own deposit, I'm sure no-one would have minded.
