Tom Brady Reveals New Dog Junie is a Clone of Deceased Pet Lua
Tom Brady's new dog, Junie, is a clone of his beloved late pet, Lua, who died in 2023. Colossal Biosciences, a company Brady invests in, performed the cloning.
Tom Brady reveals new dog Junie is a clone of beloved Lua, who died in 2023
New York Daily News
Overview
- Tom Brady disclosed that his new dog, Junie, is a clone of his cherished pet, Lua, who passed away in December 2023, highlighting his deep affection for his animals.
- Colossal Biosciences, a biotech startup where Tom Brady is an investor, performed the cloning of Lua, showcasing his support for advanced animal technology.
- Colossal Biosciences recently acquired Viagen Pets and Equine, a prominent animal cloning company, further expanding its capabilities in pet and animal reproduction services.
- Brady's decision to clone Lua reflects his belief in this technology's potential to help families cope with pet loss and aid in endangered species preservation.
- This revelation highlights the intersection of celebrity involvement and cutting-edge biotechnology, bringing animal cloning into the public spotlight via a well-known figure.
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FAQ
Colossal Biosciences uses somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) to clone pets, a technique in which the nucleus of a donor animal's somatic cell is transferred into an egg with its own nucleus removed, then stimulated to develop into an embryo and implanted in a surrogate. This allows them to create a genetically identical animal to the original.
Pet cloning services are available to the public through companies like ViaGen, which Colossal Biosciences recently acquired. Cloning a dog or cat costs around $50,000, while cloning a horse is about $85,000.
Colossal Biosciences is primarily focused on de-extinction efforts to revive extinct species using CRISPR gene-editing and advanced cloning techniques. Pet cloning represents a side business, especially after their acquisition of ViaGen, but their main goal is to bring back lost megafauna such as woolly mammoths and, recently, dire wolves.
Experts, such as the IUCN Species Survival Commission Canid Specialist Group, have expressed skepticism about de-extinction projects, arguing that genetically engineered animals are not true proxies of extinct species and that such efforts do not contribute meaningfully to conservation or ecosystem restoration. There are also concerns about the broader ethical implications and the potential risks to extant species.
Tom Brady is described as an investor in Colossal Biosciences, and his cloning of his dog Junie was performed by the company. There is no indication in the article that he is directly involved in the company’s scientific or operational activities; his role appears to be primarily financial and as a notable supporter of the technology.
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