Tom Brady said on November 4, 2025, that his dog Junie is a clone of Lua, his family’s late dog. Brady said he worked with Colossal Biosciences and that blood was drawn from Lua before she died, but the reviewed reporting does not include Junie’s laboratory record or independent genetic verification.
Junie is not Lua returned to life: a clone does not inherit the original dog’s memories or life history. Here is what has been reported—and what remains unconfirmed.
What did Tom Brady announce about Junie?
Brady said he had worked with Colossal and used its “non-invasive cloning technology” through a blood draw from the family’s elderly dog before she died. He said the clone arrived “in a few short months.” These details are Brady’s account as reported by ABC News, The Washington Post, and The Guardian.
Lua, described in reporting as a pit bull mix, died in December 2023. The sources say the blood draw took place before her death, but do not give its exact date. They also do not provide a detailed independent account of Junie’s health, behavior, or daily life.
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What is known—and what is not?
| Question | What the reporting establishes |
|---|---|
| Who says Junie is a clone? | Tom Brady made the claim, which was reported by multiple news outlets. |
| Which company did Brady name? | Brady said he worked with Colossal Biosciences. |
| When was Lua’s sample taken? | Brady said it was before Lua died in December 2023. The exact date is not reported. |
| How exactly was Junie produced? | The reviewed reporting does not provide Junie’s laboratory record or exact procedure. |
| Has Junie’s DNA been independently verified publicly? | The reviewed reporting does not include an independent genetic verification. |
| Did Brady pay a particular amount? | No. The reporting does not disclose the financial terms of Junie’s case. |
How does ViaGen fit into the story?
Colossal announced on November 4, 2025, that it had acquired ViaGen Pets & Equine. Colossal said ViaGen would continue its pet, equine, and livestock services as a wholly owned subsidiary. Brady is an investor in Colossal, a relevant commercial connection when considering his announcement.
The acquisition does not establish that ViaGen performed every step of Junie’s cloning. The public reporting reviewed here does not provide a Junie-specific case record, so avoid treating the company relationship as proof of the exact laboratory process.
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Colossal’s work on dire wolves is a separate project. TIME describes that work as involving blood-isolated cells, gene editing, cloning, and surrogate dogs; it is not a technical record of how Junie was produced. Cloning a known pet and attempting to create an animal resembling an extinct species are not the same claim.
Does cloning make Junie the same dog as Lua?
No. Even if Junie is a genetic clone as Brady says, she is a new dog, not Lua continuing her life. A clone does not inherit another animal’s memories, relationships, training, or experiences.
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PETA’s spokesperson, quoted by The Washington Post, argued that a cloned dog would not inherit Lua’s temperament or “lovable quirks.” That is PETA’s position, not a published behavioral assessment of Junie. The reviewed reporting does not document Junie’s personality or establish that she behaves like Lua.
How much does dog cloning cost?
The Washington Post reported in 2025 that ViaGen charged $50,000 to clone a cat or dog. Treat that as a dated price reported by the newspaper—not a current quote, a universal rate, or evidence of what Brady paid. The financial terms of Junie’s case have not been disclosed.
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What are the concerns about pet cloning?
The Washington Post reported ethical criticism from PETA, whose spokesperson said grieving owners should recognize that pets are not replaceable and adopt. The spokesperson also raised concerns about unsuccessful attempts and animal welfare. These are attributed ethical concerns; the reviewed coverage does not establish a failure-rate statistic or give a Junie-specific account of animals involved in the process.
Cloning and adoption are different choices with different outcomes. Someone considering cloning should distinguish the possibility of a genetic connection from the expectation that a new dog will reproduce a particular pet’s behavior or personality.
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FAQ
Is Tom Brady’s dog Junie really a clone of Lua?
Brady said Junie is Lua’s clone, and multiple outlets reported his announcement. The reviewed reporting does not include Junie’s laboratory record or independent genetic verification, so the claim is documented as Brady’s statement rather than independently confirmed by public DNA evidence.
When did Lua die?
Reporting says Lua died in December 2023. Brady said her blood was drawn before her death, but the exact sample date is not reported.
Did ViaGen clone Junie?
Colossal acquired ViaGen Pets & Equine on the same day Brady’s announcement was reported, and Colossal said ViaGen would continue its pet services. The reviewed reporting does not provide a Junie-specific record identifying which company performed each step.
How much did Brady pay to clone Lua?
The reviewed reporting does not disclose what Brady paid. The Washington Post reported a ViaGen price of $50,000 for cloning a cat or dog in 2025, but that dated figure does not establish the cost of Junie’s case.
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