Tom Brady Actually Cloned His Dog and Ya Know What, We Totally Get It!

Losing a pet is such a specific kind of pain that Stephen King once wrote a book about it, kind of. In Pet Sematary, the master of horror introduced us to a family that was not only new in town, but unfamiliar with the ways of a smaller community. After their beloved cat was accidentally killed, they buried it in a pet cemetery near their new house. When the cat came back, that's when the real nightmare began.

Who among us hasn't wished that a furry companion could live longer, or return to us in some capacity outside of a George Romero-type situation? There is a truth universally known: if you have the money, almost anything is possible. The first commercially cloned animal was Dolly the sheep.

Nearly 30 years later, Tom Brady cloned his dog for personal reasons. Here's what we know.

Normally, we might comment on how dystopian this feels, but since pets trump almost anything, we're ready to let this dark future vibe slide.

According to ABC News, Tom is an investor in Colossal Biosciences, a biotechnology and genetic engineering company.

Following the death of his dog Lulu in December 2023, the former quarterback began working with Colossal to get a "second chance" with the family's beloved dog.

At this point, you might be hearing Jeff Goldblum from Jurassic Park saying, "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."

We understand that inclination, but let's put it aside because pet grief is deeply painful. "I love my animals," said Tom. "They mean the world to me and my family."

Blood was drawn from Lulu before she passed. A few months later, the Bradys were given a second chance with a dog that looked an awful lot like her.

As an investor, Tom is excited about technology that can "help both families losing their beloved pets while helping to save endangered species." The cloning announcement was on the heels of Colossal's acquisition of Viagen Pets and Equine, the "global leader and expert in animal cloning."

If you want to clone a pet, it's gonna cost you. Regardless of the size, cloning a dog or cat costs $50,000, per Viagen. The good news is, you can do it in two installments.

There is something about dividing up this kind of payment that just feels off. Is the first half paying for its skeletal system, while the second is all the major organs? By the way, if you want to clone a horse, that will run you $85,000.

If you're looking for a good cry, and who isn't, you can read some testimonials on Viagen's website. In one story, a pet owner describes the bond they had with their cat Bits, who was like a shadow.

After Bits was diagnosed with cancer, the idea that their family would be smaller was devastating. They reached out to Viagen.

"I know that Bits is not a collection of cells—that she is every bit as much a product of nearly 2 decades of love and interaction with us and the world around her as she is her DNA," they wrote, adding that they understand you can't clone a soul." They thanked Viagen for offering an "ability to intertwine the moments you’ve cherished so much in a familiar face, with a new set of memories that will carry you into the future."