Barbra Streisand Cloning Dog: What Really Happened with Miss Scarlett and Miss Violet

Losing a dog is a special kind of hell. It’s that quiet in the house that hits you the hardest. For Barbra Streisand, the "quiet" after her beloved Coton de Tulear, Samantha, passed away in 2017 was simply too much to bear. So, she did what most of us can only joke about over a glass of wine: she actually cloned her.

Most people first heard about the Barbra Streisand cloning dog saga during a 2018 interview with Variety. It sounded like science fiction. But it’s very real. Two of her current dogs, Miss Scarlett and Miss Violet, are genetic carbon copies of Samantha.

They’re identical. Well, mostly.

The $50,000 Decision

Sammie was 14 when she died. She was Barbra’s "soulmate" dog. Before she passed, a veterinarian took tissue samples from the dog's cheek and stomach. These were rushed to a company called ViaGen Pets in Texas.

Why Texas? Because at the time, ViaGen was the only player in the U.S. game.

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It isn't cheap. You’re looking at $50,000 just to get the ball rolling. Some labs in South Korea, like Sooam Biotech, have been known to charge up to $100,000. For most of us, that’s a down payment on a house. For Babs? It was a chance to keep a piece of her friend alive.

How the Cloning Process Actually Works

It’s not as simple as putting a dog in a photocopier. Honestly, the science is kinda intense and, for some, a little ethically "gray."

1. Cell Harvesting: They take live cells from the donor dog (the one you love).
2. The Egg Donor: Scientists take an egg from a completely different dog and remove its nucleus—basically "emptying out" its original DNA.
3. The Fusion: They pop the donor dog's DNA into that empty egg.
4. The Spark: A tiny zap of electricity tells the egg to start dividing and growing into an embryo.
5. The Surrogate: That embryo is implanted into a surrogate mother dog who carries the litter to term.

Streisand didn't just get one puppy. She got several. She kept two (Miss Scarlett and Miss Violet) and gave others to friends. She also has a third dog, Miss Fanny, who is actually a distant cousin of the original Samantha, just to keep things interesting.

Nature vs. Nurture: The "Soul" Problem

Here is where it gets tricky. You can clone the fur. You can clone the brown eyes. You can even clone a specific serious expression.

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But you cannot clone the memories.

Streisand herself admitted this in an op-ed for The New York Times. She noted that while they look like Sammie, they have their own personalities. One might be more playful; the other might be more reserved. They don’t remember the 14 years of life Sammie lived. They are new dogs in old packaging.

"You can clone the look of a dog, but you can't clone the soul." — Barbra Streisand

Why PETA and Ethicists Are Upset

Not everyone was "clapping" for Barbra. Groups like PETA went after her pretty hard. The argument is basically this: why spend $50k to manufacture a dog when millions of dogs are sitting in shelters waiting for a home?

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There’s also the "underclass" of dogs used in the process. To get those two clones, you need egg donors and surrogate mothers. These dogs undergo surgeries and hormonal treatments to produce the puppies for the wealthy. Ethicists like Jessica Pierce argue that this turns animals into mere "biological substrates" or cogs in a machine.

What Most People Get Wrong

People think the clones are "replacement" dogs. They aren't. Streisand has been very vocal about the fact that she still grieves for Samantha. The clones are a way to maintain a physical connection to the past, but they aren't a "reset" button on death.

Also, clones aren't always 100% identical in appearance. Environmental factors in the womb can change coat patterns or slight markings. It’s biology, not a Xerox machine.

Actionable Insights for Pet Owners

If you're reading this because you're considering the same path, here's the reality:

• Genetic Preservation is the First Step: Most people don't clone immediately. You can pay roughly $1,600 to have your pet's cells frozen while they are still alive (or very shortly after death). This keeps the door open.
• Manage Your Expectations: Your clone will not know its name. It will not know where the treats are hidden. You are raising a brand-new puppy from scratch.
• The Waitlist is Real: Companies like ViaGen often have a 5-to-7-month waitlist.
• Check the Health Risks: Some studies suggest cloned animals might face unique health challenges or shorter lifespans, though companies like ViaGen claim they live normal, healthy lives.

Cloning is a deeply personal, expensive, and controversial choice. Whether you think it's a beautiful tribute or a "Frankenstein" move, Barbra Streisand’s decision forever changed the conversation about how far we’re willing to go for the animals we love.

If you’re facing the loss of a pet, start by talking to your vet about Genetic Preservation options before it’s too late, as cells must be harvested within a very tight window after an animal passes away.