Tom Brady has shared that his dog Junie is a clone of his late pet, Lua, who died in 2023.
The former NFL quarterback, 48, announced that he cloned his late dog with Colossal Biosciences, a Dallas-based biotech company that claims they are “developing the science that will save us, our planet and the species that inhabit it.,” according to the company website.
“I love my animals. They mean the world to me and my family,” Brady said in the announcement, shared with People. “A few years ago, I worked with Colossal and leveraged their non-invasive cloning technology through a simple blood draw of our family's elderly dog before she passed.”
Colossal Biosciences also revealed that it acquired another company, Viagen Pets and Equine, which is responsible for cloning many pets of celebrities. This includes cloning Barbara Streisand’s dog Samantha, who died in 2017, and Paris Hilton’s beloved dog Diamond Baby, who went missing in 2022, into two puppies.
The former New England Patriots star thanked Colossal for giving his family “a second chance with a clone of [their] beloved dog.”
“[I am] excited how Colossal and Viagen's tech together can help both families losing their beloved pets while helping to save endangered species,” he added.
Brady and his ex-wife, Gisele Bündchen, announced the death of their family pet, Lua, in December 2023.
“Our little Lulu, our guardian angel is gone to heaven. She will forever live in our hearts. We already miss her sooooo much! #unconditionallove RIPLua,” the model wrote on Instagram at the time. Her post also included photos of Lua with her and Brady’s three children together: Jack, 18, Benjamin, 15, and Vivian, 12.
The Fox Sports analyst also posted a tribute to his family pet on his Instagram Story at the time. He shared a photo of Lua with his kids, alongside the caption: “We love you Lua, RIP…Forever in our hearts.”
Brady isn’t the first celebrity to open up about cloning a beloved pet. During a 2023 episode of her reality, Paris in Love, Hilton reflected on her dog Diamond Baby, whom she called her “best friend,” going missing. While the pet was never found, Hilton was grateful that she could honor her with two cloned puppies.
“[These are] your grand-doggy babies. This is Diamond and Baby, Diamond’s clones,” she told her mother, Kathy Hilton, on the show. The DJ also shared that it was her husband, Carter Reum, who “found a company” that can clone your dog.
“They just can take a dog’s cells and they can make your same exact dog,” she explained, while her mom responded with tears in her eyes.
