A 12-year-old boy is making sure shelter animals across the US are always dressed to impress potential new owners by creating handmade bow ties for cats and dogs.
Darius Brown is the pre-teen CEO of Beaux and Paws, an organisation which formed after the New Jersey resident received numerous compliments and questions about his range of jazzy bow ties.
When he was two years old, Darius was diagnosed with comprehension delay, speech delay and fine motor skills delay. His family supported his creativity and encouraged the youngster to use his hands to help his fine motor skills.
Speaking to Today, Darius’s mum and sister explained how, when he was eight years old, Darius began to cut fabrics and learned to sew to help his sister, Dazhai, make hair ribbons.
Dazhai said:
With his fine motor skills, he wasn’t able to really use his hands well — tying a shoe was challenging. My mother and I came up with the idea that if he helped us with things like prepping the ribbon or cutting it, and sewing fabric together, it would help him. And it did — it worked!
Darius began to make his own bow ties and wore one nearly every day, with strangers often stopping him on the street to ask where he’d got them from.
It wasn’t long before he combined his love of fashion with his love of animals and Beaux and Paws was born. The creative boy started by donating bow ties to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals after hearing about the displaced dogs and cats flooding shelters following the devastation wreaked by hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
Darius has since donated hundreds of bow ties to animal shelters across the country and let me tell you, these animals have never looked so dapper.
Just look at this smart doggo:
How could anyone resist him?
Speaking of his creations, Darius told Today:
It helps the dog look noticeable, very attractive. It helps them find a forever, loving home … I love everything about dogs and cats.
As well as donating the bow ties to the hopeful, deserving animals, Darius sells his designs through Beaux and Paws. For every purchase, the 12-year-old makes a donation to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and uses proceeds from his sales to buy fabric and materials to create more bow ties.
Darius and his family have also set up a GoFundMe page to receive donations for the company, which will allow the young CEO to make even more bow ties and help even more animals, as well as allowing Darius to travel to donate the accessories himself.
His mother said:
The donations help a lot because we were just digging in our pockets, buying the fabric ourselves.
Darius’s work often receives compliments on Instagram page and the organisation has even wowed former President Barack Obama, who sent Darius a letter complimenting his efforts.
It read:
After hearing your story, I wanted to reach out to commend you for your commitment to community service. From founding Beaux and Paws to lifting up the lives of those around you, it’s clear you are doing your part to look out for your fellow citizens. And I trust you take tremendous pride in all you have accomplished.
The letter continued:
As long as you stay engaged in the world around you, continue looking for ways to help others, and never give up on yourself, I’m confident our future will be bright. Know that I’m rooting for you in all you do, and I wish you the very best.
If there’s one thing cuter than a dog, it’s a dog in a bow tie and Darius deserves a wealth of praise for his mission to help animals get adopted!
If you’d like to donate to Beaux and Paws you can do so here.
If you have a story you want to tell, send it to story@unilad.com.
Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.