Tom Brady has revealed that Junie, his family’s dog, is a clone of Lua, a pit bull mix who died in December 2023. The announcement was made in a statement released by Colossal Biosciences, where Brady is an investor, and reported on November 4, 2025.
Is Tom Brady’s dog really a clone?
According to Brady’s public statement, yes: Junie was created as a genetic copy of Lua. ESPN reported the announcement and Brady’s connection to Colossal Biosciences. The statement was not presented as an independent laboratory report, so the public record establishes Brady’s identification of Junie as Lua’s clone, but not every technical detail of the procedure.
Brady described Junie as “a second chance with a clone of our beloved dog,” as reported by The Guardian. That wording is emotionally understandable, but Junie is a new animal born later—not Lua returned to life.
Who was Lua?
Good Morning America reported that Lua was a pit bull mix and died in December 2023. Brady said a blood sample was collected from Lua before her death. The exact collection date, how the sample was handled, and the laboratory timeline have not been established in the public coverage reviewed for this story.
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How was Junie cloned?
Brady said Colossal used a “non-invasive cloning technology” through “a simple blood draw” from the elderly Lua before she died. That is Brady’s description, reproduced by CBS News, rather than an independently verified account of Junie’s laboratory protocol.
Commercial providers describe a broader canine-cloning process:
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- Cell preservation: viable cells from a donor sample are cultured and frozen.
- Embryo creation: a donor cell is combined with an egg cell whose genetic material has been removed or otherwise prepared.
- Embryo transfer: the resulting embryo is transferred to a surrogate dog.
- Birth and nursing: the puppy undergoes gestation and nursing, which ViaGen says are similar to ordinary dog breeding.
Those are general steps described by ViaGen, not confirmation that each step—or the same type of sample—was used for Junie. Brady specifically referred to blood collection. Colossal’s descriptions of blood-derived cell work in a separate dire-wolf project likewise do not establish Junie’s exact method.
Will Junie have Lua’s personality and memories?
No. A clone shares the donor’s genetic identity, but it does not inherit the donor’s memories, learned behavior, or life history. ViaGen describes a cloned dog as a genetic twin born at a later date and says an identical personality cannot be guaranteed.
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Junie may resemble Lua in some physical or behavioral traits influenced by genetics, but her surroundings, training, health, and individual development will shape a separate personality. Calling her Lua, or implying that Lua’s memories were restored, would be inaccurate.
How much does dog cloning cost?
ViaGen Pets’ public FAQ, accessed September 30, 2026, lists the following prices. They are the provider’s posted figures, can change, and are not evidence of what Brady paid.
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| Service | Published price | What the figure means |
|---|---|---|
| Dog cloning | $50,000 | ViaGen’s listed price for the cloning service; not a reported price for Junie |
| Genetic preservation | $1,600 | ViaGen’s listed preservation price; not proof that this was Brady’s cost or the complete cost of a future clone |
A prospective customer would also need to ask what is included, which veterinary and surrogate-care expenses are separate, what happens if an attempt fails, where procedures occur, and which rules apply. No independent success-rate or welfare-outcome figure for Junie’s procedure has been established in the reporting.
What this disclosure does—and does not—establish
Established by the public announcement
- Brady identified Junie as a clone of Lua.
- Colossal Biosciences released the statement, and Brady is an investor in the company.
- Lua was reported to have died in December 2023.
- Brady said a blood sample was taken before Lua died and characterized the method as non-invasive.
Not established in the public reporting
- The precise date and handling of Lua’s sample.
- The laboratory workflow used to produce Junie.
- The number of embryos, surrogates, or attempts involved.
- A Junie-specific success rate, cost, or welfare outcome.
What readers should understand about cloned pets
Cloning preserves a genetic identity, not an individual’s complete life. Even if Junie looks strikingly like Lua, she will have different experiences, relationships, training, and health events. The most accurate description is that Junie is a genetically matching dog born after Lua’s death—not the same dog in a biological or psychological sense.
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