Parents With Pups Brings Paws and Positivity
Big Bear at the December Parents With Pups event on the Georgia Tech campus.
When students arrive on campus, they often bring mementos to remind them of home, but typically leave their pets behind. For those students who miss their furry friends, Parents With Pups is ready to lend a helping paw.
Finals week can be a stressful time for students on campus, so in December, Parents With Pups put the call out to its members to bring their dogs to Tech Lawn for their monthly gathering. As dozens of dogs and hundreds of students gathered, the group’s founder, Marla Laminack, saw a vision realized.
In October 2019, Laminack and her daughter Taylor Gray, LMC 2022, were looking for ways to improve mental health among students when she came across a Reddit post seeking Tech community members who would bring their dogs to campus.
“The next day, I just sat there on Tech Green with my little chihuahua, Nano, and let anybody who stopped by pet her. I told my parent group that the students seemed to enjoy it and asked who wanted to come with me next time,” Laminack said.
The response was overwhelming, and the group has grown to a community of 800 members in its Facebook group and thousands of followers on Instagram. While many live outside of the Atlanta area, Laminack says that donations from parents across the country are vital to the group’s success.
After the first few events, Laminack realized that students would often skip lunch to play with the dogs, so she began baking and providing snacks. As the events grew in scale and students sought them out after stressful days, she realized the sizeable impact these dogs had on the student community.
“I had no idea how much these students miss their pets, but we have students coming to us all the time saying how our dogs help fill that hole in their hearts while they’re away from home, especially after taking a difficult test or dealing with other stressful events. The dogs love the kids and vice versa, and they get something to eat. We just try to spread some joy to kids who need it,” she said.
To reach as many students as possible, the group often partners with campus organizations like SMILE and the Ramblin’ Reck Club. During each finals week, Parents With Pups will co-host the Pennies for Sideways event to spread good luck before exams.
Between studying to become a surgeon and his extracurricular activities, Stamps President’s Scholar Nate Hayes never misses a Parents With Pups event, bringing back memories of his childhood dog, a Pomeranian named Sport.
“It’s very calming to be out here with these pups. Marla is always looking to help somebody and empower students to succeed and chase their dreams,” Hayes said.
The dogs become local celebrities on campus, often gaining a following on social media. Parents will create stickers for their dogs that students place on their laptops and backpacks.
The Laminacks’ connection to Georgia Tech predates the creation of the group — her husband, Ivey, graduated with a physics degree in 1979. Along with helping her bake and set up, he is a mainstay at each event, and they both cherish the opportunity to interact with students. Though their daughter graduated in 2022, the Laminacks say they’ll continue to run the Parents With Pups events for as long as they’re able.
To keep up with Parents With Pups’ latest events and announcements, follow them on Instagram (@gtparentswithpups).