The internet went wild recently when the topic of Tom Brady cloning his dog surfaced, and whether it was rumor, clickbait or half-truth… one thing is for sure: dog people have very loud feelings about it.
Would YOU clone your dog?
It’s a question so emotionally triggering that most dog owners instantly want to shut it down. The thought of losing our dog (and then “replacing” them) feels wrong. Creepy. Almost disrespectful to the spirit and soul of the animal who shaped our life.
But as we head into an era where AI, lab-grown meat, cryogenic preservation and yes, animal cloning, are no longer sci-fi… this conversation is now unavoidable.
Tom Brady’s story just poured gasoline all over it.
The Tom Brady Cloning Fallout
Insiders across the pet world started buzzing when it was rumored Brady had looked into cloning one of his beloved dogs.
Whether he did or didn’t isn’t even the point anymore.
Dog lovers were instantly split in half:
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the “science is cool and life is short — why not?” crowd
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the “ABSOLUTELY NOT. A dog is a soul, not a template.” crowd
Social media lit up with disgust, shock, and heartbreak. Because for most of us… we love our dogs in a way that is so personal, so irrational, so emotional — that the idea of “replicating” them feels like stripping the magic out of it.
What Is Dog Cloning — Really?
Cloning isn’t making a copy of your dog.
It is making a genetic twin, created in a lab, using DNA taken from your dog’s skin or tissue sample.
Companies charge anywhere from $50,000-$150,000 to clone a single dog.
The cloned dog won’t have:
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the exact same personality
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the exact same learned behaviors
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the exact same lived experiences
So what people THINK they are buying (their dog back) is not what cloning actually gives them.
You are buying a possibility. A version. A “lookalike.”
Which Companies Actually Clone Dogs?
The primary company for dog cloning is
ViaGen Pets & Equine, which was recently acquired by Colossal Biosciences. Other companies involved in the pet cloning industry include PETernity Genetics.
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ViaGen Pets & Equine: A U.S.-based company that uses somatic cell nuclear transfer to clone pets, which is the same technology they use for horses and livestock. Tom Brady recently used this service to clone his dog.
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Colossal Biosciences: This company acquired ViaGen Pets & Equine, and uses the combined technology for pet cloning as well as cloning endangered species.
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PETernity Genetics: This company also provides dog, cat, and equine cloning services, with over 15 years of experience in the field.
Tom Brady's Beloved Pet
Tom Brady’s dog Junie is a clone of his late dog Lua.
After Lua, whom the retired quarterback shared with ex-wife Gisele Bündchen and their children, died in December 2023, he welcomed another, similar-looking dog, Junie. Nearly two years later, Brady has revealed that Junie is a clone of the late pit bull mix.
Brady shared the news on Tuesday, Nov. 4, coinciding with an announcement from Colossal Biosciences, a biotech company that he is an investor in, and that worked with him to clone his beloved Lua. On Nov. 4, the Dallas-based company, best known for its headline-making claim that it produced three dire wolf pups, announced that it has acquired another biotech company, Viagen Pets and Equine.
Viagen Pets is known for cloning the dog of Barbra Streisand named Samantha, who died in 2017, and Paris Hilton’s dog Diamond Baby into two puppies after the pet went missing in 2022. The biotech company has “exclusive licensing and access to the breakthrough technologies” that were developed by the Roslin Institute of Edinburgh, which is widely known for cloning Dolly the Sheep in the late ‘90s, Viagen said in a press release obtained by PEOPLE magazine.
“Barbra Streisand was devoted to Sammie,” a source tells PEOPLE. “At home in Malibu, he followed her around wherever she went. He was truly a loving companion. Her best friend.”
Brady’s late pet Lua was cloned using blood collected prior to her death in 2023, the Colossal investor said in a statement. “I love my animals. They mean the world to me and my family,” the former NFL star 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 company “gave my family a second chance with a clone of our beloved dog,” Brady continued, adding that he is “excited how Colossal and Viagen's tech together can help both families losing their beloved pets while helping to save endangered species.”
Why Dog Lovers and Fans Are So Upset About This
Because dogs are not baseball cards.
Dogs are not collectibles.
Dogs are not replaceable objects.
Dogs are memory, connection, soul, energy, timing, inside jokes, quirks, trauma bonding, routines, comfort… LIFE.
And that’s why this topic hits harder than almost any other trending pet debate. Cloning is not the answer.
The Ethics Problem of Dog Cloning
Dog cloning raises MAJOR ethical issues:
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the health risks to “surrogate dogs” used in the cloning process
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high rates of failed pregnancies & failed embryos
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shortened lifespan + unknown long term issues
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exploitation of female dogs used for egg harvesting
Scientists have been extremely divided, but many animal welfare experts call cloning “a billion dollar grief monetization machine.”
A 2024 New York Post Article titled "The $50,000 dog-cloning business is booming — and has a five-month waitlist" talks about Austin, a New York City businessman, who spent $50,400 to have his Yorkshire terrier Caesar, who passed away, cloned. Getting a new puppy from a breeder wouldn’t do.
“I could not get a strange dog; I was so heartbroken and emotionally attached and going through this was a way to get a bit of Caesar back,’’ the sexagenarian, who asked to go by his middle name for professional reasons, told The Post. “I wanted to continue his bloodline, and he was neutered as a baby. The simple answer is, I didn’t want another dog; I wanted Caesar’s offspring. For me, this was the only way to move forward.’’
To clone a pet, tissue cells are harvested, cultured and frozen before or just after the animal dies. ViaGen charges $150 annually, on top of an initial $1,600 collection fee, for those looking to store frozen tissue samples. Austin has been thrilled with the results. He had two embryos successfully implant, and his cloned puppies, Julius and Henry, are now 4-months-old.
While costly, customers have said that it’s not just wealthy pet lovers opting for cloning. At one point, the company offered financing for cloned animals but it no longer does.
So Would YOU Clone Your Dog?
That’s the viral question. Here’s the truth most dog behaviorists, trainers, and ethical breeders agree on:
What makes your dog “your dog” isn’t the DNA or genetic material.
It’s the bond you BUILT with them.
Cloning animals is trying to shortcut grief. But grief deserves to be felt. Processed. Honored.
Dogs are not meant to be recycled. The cloning process does not guarantee the same animal or beloved pet.
The Healthier Way to “Continue” Your Dog Instead of Dog Cloning
If you are deeply attached to the idea of carrying forward a legacy from a dog you adored:
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adopt a dog with a similar breed
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choose a rescue with a similar temperament / energy profile
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work with an ethical breeder who prioritizes health + temperament
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save / celebrate your dog’s stories — not their genome
Your dog’s impact doesn’t end when their body does. They changed YOU forever — and you bring that into every dog relationship after them.
Final Takeaway — The Tom Brady Dog Cloning Story is a Wake Up Call
Technology is getting ahead of emotion.
Grief is becoming a business model.
And cloning plays directly into the fear every dog parent lives with — losing our best friend.
But the beauty of dogs is that they are temporary. Precious because of the limit. Worth everything because they cannot stay forever.
Their magic is not in their cells…
it’s in the years we got to love them.
WHO IS PRIDE+GROOM?
PRIDE+GROOM was born because a group of New York City dog lovers wanted the same level of grooming products for their dogs that they themselves enjoyed. They looked (hard) but nothing was up to snuff. Or sniff. Like so many, we love our families and take pride in our homes, and we consider our pets to be integral parts of those entities. That said, we could not find an effective way to coif them that was on par with the way we tended to our children, our homes, or ourselves. These beloved pets are allowed on the furniture and in our beds, and yet even when fresh from the groomer, we knew they did not smell or feel as good as they could.
With the development of our coat-specific shampoos, conditioner and deodorizing spray, we think we found just the way to say thanks for being the best and the sweetest MVP of the house. Skin and coat health is very important to us.
PRIDE+GROOM is the first dog grooming brand launched under a beauty platform, with formulas made in a clean beauty and scent lab. We know beauty is not only skin deep. We did a ton of research to create the entire line. Each product is formulated with its own unique blend of essential oils sourced from around the world.
IN DOG WE TRUST
Shop our entire line: www.prideandgroom.com