The Extreme Measures Barbra Streisand Took To Keep Her Late Dog's Memory Alive

The loss of a fur baby can be absolutely devastating, and plenty of pet parents look for a way to keep the memory of their four-legged friend alive. But Barbra Streisand took preserving her pet to an entirely different level. 

The singer is particularly prone to a specific breed – Coton de Tulear. Thought of as a rare breed, these small white pooches are the epitome of cute. Even rarer (at least to her) was Streisand's one-of-a-kind Coton de Tulear named Samantha. The "Yentl" actor had Samantha for fourteen years, during which she was her closest companion. "Sammie," her affectionate nickname for the pooch, was reportedly akin to a daughter for the celeb, who only has one son, Jason Gould. So, it's safe to say that after spending over a decade together, Streisand was lost without Samantha when the dog passed away in 2017.

Not one to give up, Streisand decided to look for science for a way to keep Samantha with her forever. And getting a paw print tattoo or carrying a lock of Samantha's fur in a pendant was definitely not what the singer had in mind. She desired for her beloved Coton de Tulear to be literally by her side — a puppy to walk, pet, and love on — which is why she had Samantha cloned.

After making the shocking statement in an interview with Variety that her two Coton de Tulears, Miss Violet and Miss Scarlet, were clones of Samantha, the media was naturally curious as to the how and why. Barbra Streisand revealed to The New York Times, "I was so devastated by the loss of my dear Samantha, after 14 years together, that I just wanted to keep her with me in some way. It was easier to let Sammie go if I knew I could keep some part of her alive, something that came from her DNA."

The cells were taken from the pup's mouth and stomach, after which the genetic material was sent to a lab in Texas called ViaGen Pets. Apparently, the cloning process bears no guarantees, so while the "Funny Girl" actor was waiting, she kept the doors open to other dogs. One came in the form of a distant connection to Sammie — a puppy from her breeder whom Streisand named Miss Fanny. The other was a rescue Maltipoo whom she dubbed Sadie. Still, Streisand was elated when the lab informed the starlet that the cloning had worked, and she was now the proud owner of four puppies.

Only three puppies survived long enough to be welcomed into the actor's home; at this point, she was feeling a little overwhelmed with five dogs. Fortunately, she found loving homes for Sadie as well as one of the clones, keeping Miss Fanny and the newly arrived Miss Scarlet and Miss Violet.

Barbra Streisand adores her trio of Coton de Tulears, but she noted to the NYT, "You can't clone the soul." Reportedly, though her clones resemble Samantha, they have differing personalities. Nevertheless, the Oscar winner is in love with her cloned pups. She gushed about them turning six years old on Instagram and posted a picture of all three dogs for Coton de Tulear Day in November 2023. Of course, when the spoiled dogs aren't enjoying birthday parties complete with cake, they take a moment to visit their "mom," as Streisand calls her, Samantha.

The "Meet the Fockers" star has been married to fellow actor James Brolin since July 1998. The Daily Mail In a live interview on "This Morning," Brolin shared he supported his wife's decision to clone Samantha. "I think it's a little expensive right now but I think it's gonna be real common, you know, like 7-Eleven," he stated. "It's gonna be like driving into 7-Eleven." Brolin may have been particularly keen on cloning Samantha, as he picked out the original pooch for his wife.

The "Catch Me If You Can" actor doesn't post much on social media, but when he does, he isn't shy about sharing photos of the couple's furry friends either. He may have to remain open to more pups. It's been reported that now that their Coton de Tulears are getting older, Streisand may be considering another round of cloning.