Barbra Streisand Cloned Her Late Dog Twice

Barbra Streisand couldn't put a stopper on death for her beloved dog Samantha, so she shelled out top dollar for the next best thing.

Streisand revealed to Variety that, prior to the death of her 14-year-old Coton du Tulear pooch in May 2017, the Broadway actress extracted cells from her dog's mouth and stomach.

The genetic material was later used to create two clones of Samantha, which Streisand named Miss Violet and Miss Scarlett after she initially dressed them in lavender and red to tell them apart.

"They have different personalities," Streisand told the publication of Miss Violet and Miss Scarlett. "I'm waiting for them to get older so I can see if they have her [Samantha's] brown eyes and seriousness."

The 75-year-old posed for a portrait with her two cloned pups alongside her adopted dog Miss Fanny. In the photo shared by Variety, the caption read, "Send in the clones," a play on words to reflect her popular 1985 cover of Stephen Sondheim's "Send in the Clowns."

Aside from her twin clones of Samantha, Streisand also acquired another dog while mourning the loss of her longtime companion and waiting for her new additions. She adopted Miss Fanny, who is reportedly a distant cousin of Samantha and has a few other surprising connections to the legend.

Miss Fanny's mother was named Funny Girl to honor the Oscar-winning actress' Broadway hit and 1968 film of the same name. When Streisand welcomed the dog, she decided to name her Miss Fanny after the nickname her character's dresser calls her.

Following Samantha's death last year, Streisand expressed her feelings of loss to the Associated Press.

"She was always with me; the last 14 years she went everywhere I went. She was at every performance. It was like losing a child. It was kind of awful," she said.

Streisand's close bond with her pups has been well documented over the years, most notably during a tribute to her canine companions on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2003.

During her performance, a slideshow of photos played in the background showing off her beloved animals, all while she crooned through a cover of Charlie Chaplin and Nat King Cole's "Smile."

Photo credit: Instagram / @barbrastreisand