Retired NFL legend Tom Brady revealed this week that his current pup, Junie, is a clone of his beloved pitbull mix, Lua (also known as Lulu), who passed away in December 2023.
In a statement provided to People, Brady explained the decision to clone his “elderly” dog, whom he shared with his family and ex-wife Gisele Bündchen for many years. “I love my animals. They mean the world to me and my family,” Brady said. “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.” The result was Junie, a living genetic twin of Lua. “[The company] gave my family a second chance with a clone of our beloved dog,” Brady added.
The news was announced as Colossal Biosciences, a biotech company Brady is an investor in, acquired Viagen Pets and Equine. Viagen charges $50,000 to clone a dog or cat (with Tom not revealing if he got a celebrity discount) This is a name that might be familiar to celebrity pet followers. Viagen is the same company that famously cloned Barbra Streisand’s beloved dog, Samantha, into two new puppies, Miss Violet and Miss Scarlett. They also cloned Paris Hilton’s late dog Diamond Baby into two pups named Diamond and Baby, in 2023. With the twin pups making their public debut in a Taco Bell commercial with their mom.
Collossal Biosciences also made headlines in April 2025, when they revealed they had cloned extinct Dire Wolves, best known for their fictional appearances in Game of Thrones.
When Lua passed away in 2023, Gisele posted a touching tribute, saying she was “forever in our hearts.” Now, with Junie, he has ensured that a piece of Lua’s legacy, her literal DNA, remains with his family.