Tom Brady reveals current dog Junie is a clone of late pet Lua

Former NFL star quarterback Tom Brady revealed on Tuesday that his current dog, Junie, is a clone of his late family pet, Lua, who died in December 2023. Brady, who shared Lua (an elderly pit bull mix) with his ex-wife Gisele Bündchen, described the successful cloning process as providing his family with a "second chance."

Lua passed away just two days before Christmas in 2023. Brady stated that the cloning process required only a "simple blood extraction" from Lua before her death. Within a few months, the family welcomed Junie. The announcement of Junie's origins came this week, more than a year after the clone arrived.

Brady disclosed the details in a press statement issued by Colossal Biosciences, a Dallas-based biotechnology company in which he is an investor. The statement announced Colossal's acquisition of Viagen Pets and Equine, the company responsible for performing the cloning. Viagen holds the rights to the technology originally used to clone Dolly the sheep in 1996.

"In a few months, Colossal gave my family a second chance with a clone of our beloved dog," Brady said in the statement. He noted that he had initiated the process with the company "a few years ago."

The announcement of the cloning was timed to coincide with the commercial operation involving the acquisition of Viagen by Colossal Biosciences. The acquisition is viewed as a significant move that could potentially reshape the future of commercial animal cloning services. Colossal Biosciences is primarily known for its ambitious de-extinction projects, including efforts focused on resurrecting the woolly mammoth. By acquiring Viagen, which specializes in cloning existing pets and livestock, Colossal gains established technology and market presence in the commercial cloning sector.

The technology utilized by Viagen is derived from the somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) technique, which involves transferring the nucleus of a somatic cell into an enucleated egg cell, resulting in a genetically identical animal. While the clone, Junie, shares the exact DNA of Lua, scientists note that environmental factors and upbringing mean the personality and temperament of the clone may differ from the original pet.

Brady's decision to clone his pet follows similar actions taken by other high-profile figures who have sought to replicate beloved animals, including Barbra Streisand and Paris Hilton.