Abstract
This paper draws on research on healthcare access among low-income Mexican migrant elderly around retirement age in El Paso, Texas. It relies on qualitative analysis of selected cases where the theme of human-animal bond emerged and considers housing arrangements, strategies of access to social support, healthcare and financial vulnerability. More specifically, this paper looks at the varied impact of these individuals’ experiences with animals by taking into consideration their memories of place and labor and the cultural production of home and belonging in contexts of migration. Results show a complicated spectrum of impact of the human-animal interaction that sometimes, but not always, leads to an enhanced well-being of the parties. The argument in this paper is that human-animal interactions among elderly need to be considered in the context of the social politics of distribution.