Tom Brady’s new furry friend might seem familiar because it shares the same genetic blueprint as his previous dog.
The legendary quarterback, who has seven Super Bowl titles under his belt, recently introduced his young dog, Junie, which was cloned from Lua, his cherished pit bull mix that passed away two years ago.
In a statement released through Colossal Biosciences and reported by People, Brady expressed his deep love for his pets, stating, “They mean the world to me and my family. A few years ago, I collaborated with Colossal, utilizing their cutting-edge, non-invasive cloning technology with a simple blood draw from our aging family dog before she left us.”
This collaboration allowed Brady and his three children to enjoy “a second chance with a clone of our beloved dog,” he shared.
Brady, along with his former spouse Gisele Bundchen, adopted Lua in 2014. They expanded their pet family by adding a beagle named Scooby in 2015 and a terrier named Fluffy in 2016. After Lua’s passing in 2023, which followed the couple’s divorce, Brady also has a black pit bull mix named Onyx.
However, not everyone was on board with Brady’s foray into cloning. Even long-time supporter and Barstool Sports founder, Dave Portnoy, felt compelled to criticize the move, stating, “I’m a dog guy and a Brady guy. This is weird as f***.”
Tom Brady is seen with his two dogs, including his new pooch, Junie (right), which is a clone
Tom Brady is seen enjoying a nice moment with his dog Lua, who passed away in 2023
The press release also announced Colossal Biosciences’s acquisition of Viagen Pets and Equine, which has cloned dogs for the likes of Paris Hilton and Barbra Streisand in recent years.
And it’s not just singers and jocks reproducing their pets. Argentina’s president Javier Milei has admitted to having his dog, Conan, cloned no fewer than five times.
Prices can vary from $50,000 to $85,000 per pet. And given that roughly 920,000 shelter animals are euthanized in the United States each year, mostly due to overcrowding, critics have urged owners against trying to clone their animals.
‘As much as I wish I could’ve cloned all my pets, I’m telling you right now Tom this is weird get out of this investment and get in on a pet adoption center,’ one person pleaded on X.
‘Rich People activity,’ another wrote about Brady’s decision.
One fan joked Brady ‘cloned himself in 2000’ as he was embarking on his decorated NFL career with the New England Patriots.
Many others referenced Michael Crichton’s famed 1990 book about the dangers of cloning dinosaurs.
‘Bro got a Super Bowl ring and a Jurassic Park starter kit,’ one fan joked of Brady.
Brady, who was drafted by the Montreal Expos, takes his stance alongside Lua
Colossal Biosciences, which counts Brady as an investor, made news in the spring when the company claimed to revive dire wolves after an estimated 10,000 years of extinction. The all-white puppies were said to be genetically engineered grey wolves with some dire wolf traits.
‘For the first time in human history, Colossal successfully restored a once-eradicated species through the science of de-extinction,’ the company stated on its website.
It also hopes to resurrect the extinct woolly mammoth by 2027.
As much as Brady loves canines, his confusing ‘kick the dog’ statement angered Fox viewers back in September.
The remark was delivered during the Bears’s upset of the visiting Cowboys in Chicago, where Dallas’s George Pickens was seen angrily slamming his helmet down on the sidelines.
‘And Picks is not happy, yeah, those moments can be… like the dog at home,’ Brady said during the Fox broadcast. ‘Kick the dog, throw the helmet, whatever it takes.’
Brady bid farewell to the family dog, Lua, in 2023. They now have at least two dogs
Brady’s children say ‘goodbye’ to their beloved dog Lua back in 2023
Brady adopted Lua (left) with his now-ex-wife Gisele Bundchen (right) in 2014 and another dog, Fluffy (center), in 2016. Lua passed away in 2023, shortly after the couple’s divorce
Brady and two of his children are seen holding dogs at a local shelter in this social media pic
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) did not accuse Brady of encouraging animal abuse, but did ask the 48-year-old father of three to be more mindful.
‘PETA encourages Brady to remember that millions of people listen to him, that the language we use can encourage kindness or violence towards animals, and that we should never normalize taking our frustration out on a beloved companion,’ the group said in a statement.
But Brady faced much more anger online, where critics accused him of encouraging animal abuse.
‘Tom Brady just promoted animal abuse on national television,’ read one comment on X.
