Inspirational Newark Teen Brings Doggie Bow Ties To Montclair Shelter

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — The Montclair Animal Shelter recently got a visit from an inspirational teen animal advocate in support of the 2023 “Clear the Shelters” campaign – and he brought his iconic bow ties with him.

Sir Darius Brown, 16, of Newark, has been making a big name for himself in the world of animal advocacy over the past five years. His secret weapon? Adorable bow ties specially crafted for dogs and cats, which he makes by hand.

Brown donates the ties to shelters in an effort to give animals waiting for adoption a little pizzaz, which is often just the extra bit of dazzle needed to catch a potential adopter’s eye. He also sells his creations online through his business, Beaux and Paws, pledging to donate a bow tie to a shelter pet for each purchase.

It’s a heartwarming effort that has earned Brown a well-deserved round of applause from the likes of former president Barack Obama, who sent the then-11-year-old do-gooder a hearty letter of congratulations several years ago. He’s also earned The Diana Award, one of the highest honors a young person can achieve for humanitarian action in the United Kingdom.

Brown previously told Patch about how his charity efforts got started:

“I started making bow ties for dogs during Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma. I saw all the devastation it caused and I wanted to do something to help but I didn't know what to do. A week or so later, I saw on Facebook that some dogs were being transported from Texas to the ASPCA in New York. I didn't have any money to donate because my mom just had a major surgery and was out of work for over a month, so I thought it would be a good idea for me to make bow ties for the dogs. I thought if they would wear the bow ties during adoption days, when people came to the shelter it would make them look more fun and fashionable and they could get adopted faster.”

Since then, Brown has continued to push his business career along, recently publishing his first book, “Project PAWsome: Saving Shelter Pets One Bow Tie at a Time,” which will be released on Sept. 5.

But in the end, he’s really just doing it for the animals.

As part of his nonstop quest to help adoptable pets, Brown recently paid a visit to the Montclair Animal Shelter for NBCUniversal Local's 2023 “Clear The Shelters” campaign, an annual effort that is devoted to finding loving homes for animals in need.

After donating some bow ties to the shelter, Brown got a chance to help some of the Montclair shelter’s residents dress for success – and cuteness ensued.

Learn more about adopting or fostering a pet from the Montclair Animal Shelter here. See adoptable animals currently available at the shelter here.

“I believe a bow tie is a symbol,” he said in a video promoting this year’s Clear the Shelters campaign, which is sponsored by Hill’s Pet Nutrition, for which Brown is serving as spokesperson (watch it here).

“Every single bow tie that I make – it’s personal,” he said.

Brown said that while growing up, he experienced speech, comprehension and fine motor skill struggles. But building his business and helping animals in need has helped Brown to work his way through those challenges, he said.

It all couldn’t have been done without the help of his mother and sister, he is quick to add.

Catch up with some of our previous coverage of Brown’s inspiring efforts in New Jersey below.

• See Related: Bow Ties For Dogs; Newark Boy's Booming Business Warms Hearts
• See Related: NJ Teen Is 'Hero To Animals' – And It's Thanks To Bow Ties
• See Related: 'Child Prodigy' From Newark Saves Shelter Pets: 'They Need More Of Us'

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.