14-Year-Old Sews 1,000 Colorful Bow Ties To Help Animals Find Forever Homes

Sir Darius Brown Holding a Puppy Wearing a Bow Tie

When it comes to searching for a furry friend to adopt, many folks look online to find their furever connection. A great photo is key; it will make someone stop mid-scroll and hopefully bring that pet one step closer to finding a loving home. Sir Darius Brown, who is only 14 years old, understands this and is helping cute kitties and doggies, one bow tie at a time. He’s created Beaux & Paws, which has him sewing, selling, and donating colorful bow ties to animal shelters across the United States. The hope is that while wearing a tie, an animal will make an impression and get adopted faster.

Brown had the idea for bow ties in 2017 after learning the devastating truth that so many animals were displaced during Hurricane Harvey in Texas as well as Hurricane Irma in Florida and Puerto Rico. They were transported to different parts of the United States in order to find new homes. Since “people look great in bow ties,” Brown thought dogs would, too. He was right! Brown has donated over 1,000 of the dapper accessories to more than 30 shelters (over the years) where they’ve been a huge hit.

Knowing that something as simple as a bow tie has given an animal the chance at happiness is priceless. “The most rewarding part is when shelters reach out to me and let me know a dog that wore one of my bow ties has been adopted,” Brown tells My Modern Met. “It makes me feel good to know I played a part in helping them find a forever home.”

Brown is still sewing bow ties with intentions of building on his animal advocacy. “I plan to resume [my] Pawsome Mission in the summer of 2021,” he explains, “visiting different shelters, participating in adoption events, donating my bow ties to shelters, and spotlighting their adoptable dogs on social media.” Eventually, he’d like one of the pups featured on his social media to be his own. “In the future, I plan to adopt my own dog. Unfortunately, where I live they don't allow pets. I plan to adopt a few dogs and be a foster parent for dogs.”

If you’d like to help Brown in his Pawesome Mission, he is now collecting donations on his GoFundMe page.

Sir Darius Brown is only 14 years old, but he has made a great impact on the lives of rescue animals thanks to his colorful bow ties.

Sir Darius Brown

He sews the accessories and has donated over 1,000 of them to shelters around the U.S. in hopes that it will attract potential adopters.

Dog Wearing a Bow Tie

Dog Wearing a Bow Tie

Dog Wearing a Bow Tie

Dog Wearing a Bow Tie

Dog Wearing a Bow Tie

Dog Wearing a Bow Tie

Dog Wearing a Bow Tie

Sir Darius Brown With a Dog Wearing a Bow Tie

Sir Darius Brown: Website | Instagram | Facebook | GoFundMe

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Sir Darius Brown.

Related Articles:

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Interview: Man Dresses Up as Batman to Transport Rescue Animals to Their Fur-ever Homes

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled 'Embroidered Life' that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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