Here at Animals Melt my Heart, we love to celebrate the people who help animals the most. Well, we couldn’t believe it when we heard about this young man and what he does for homeless pets around the globe.
It’s a sad fact that in the U.S. about 3.9 million dogs and 3.4 million cats wind up in shelters every year. So it’s extremely important to make sure these pets get the attention they deserve to help speed up adoptions.
That’s where 12-year-old Darius Brown comes in.
Helping shelter pets with one straightforward thing
Young Darius loves beautiful clothes, especially because he understands they can make a positive first impression, according to The Dodo. And he’s hit upon a way to combine that with his love for animals.
Darius has mad sewing skills, you see, and it wasn’t long before he was sewing bow ties for shelter dogs (and a few kitties as well).
“When people come into a shelter … they will see the dogs dressed in their bow tie looking cute and dapper and they won’t be able to resist taking him or her home,” Darius said.
These shelter pets do look dapper
How cute is this little dog?
And the sweet doggo above?
This cat’s expression is hilarious. Perhaps kitty is a little conflicted about that bow tie thing?
Darius carries out the whole project himself — from designing the bow ties to buying the fabric to sewing the ties. Initially, his sister taught him how to sew, and then he refined his new skill by taking sewing classes.
Pets in bow ties are adorable
And it’s all worth it for Darius because he knows his colorful bowties help shelter animals find homes. The business has picked up so much that he formed his own small company, called Beaux & Paws and keeping up with the demand has been a bit of a challenge!
You see, orders have started rolling in from around the world.
He recalls finding out just how many shelter pets need homes and just knew he had to do something.
“I saw on Facebook that dogs were being rescued from Texas and Puerto Rico during Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma,” Darius told The Dodo. “They were brought to the ASPCA in NYC to find new homes so I made bowties for dogs and donated them to the shelter so the dogs could look cute, dapper, fashionable and be more noticeable so they could get adopted faster.”
Now, how lovely is that?
The sad thing is that even though Darius loves pets, he doesn’t have one right now.
“Where I live they don’t allow pets and that makes me sad,” Darius said.
But this is a young CEO with plans, dreams, and a determined spirit. He hopes to go to Stanford University, where he wants to become a business lawyer and a fashion designer.
And in case you’re wondering, Darius’s favorite designers are Anthony Rubio, Ralph Lauren, and Versace. Someday he plans to have a house with three dogs: “a dachshund, a golden retriever, and a Dalmatian.”
Darius plans to keep shelter pets in his heart forever
Indeed, he says he will always be there for them.
“When I get a house I’m going to foster dogs too,” he said.
Our pets give us so much and ask for little in return. It’s heartwarming to see a young person like Darius doing something to help shelter dogs and cats find the homes they deserve.
Featured photo by sirdariusbrown/Instagram