YouTuber and content creator Gaurav Taneja, known online as “Flying Beast,” has responded to allegations of neglect and cruelty made against him following the death of his dog, Mau, in late July 2026. Pets News Network reached out to Taneja’s team for comment on the allegations, which were raised by a former employee on social media. In response, Taneja personally shared with Pets News Network, exclusively, a detailed written statement rebutting the claims point by point.
As of this report, neither side’s account has been independently verified. No veterinary records, police complaint, or animal welfare body finding has been made public by either party. What follows is a summary of what each side has said.
What Triggered the Dispute
According to Taneja’s statement, a former employee named Pushpendra Gajaram Choudhary began circulating claims on Instagram that Mau had been abandoned at a farm, fed inadequate food, kept without air conditioning, and repeatedly injured by other dogs on the property before his death. The claims, posted after Mau’s death became public, drew significant backlash against Taneja online, including accusations of animal abuse.
Taneja’s statement says the backlash escalated to the point that his wife and daughters received death threats — a claim that, if accurate, marks a serious escalation beyond the original welfare dispute. This claim has not been independently verified either.
Gaurav Taneja’s Account
In his statement, Taneja lays out a detailed defense:
Mau was moved to the company’s farm in December 2024, where he had a spacious living area, an air-conditioned room, fresh water, dedicated staff, and regular visits from the family.
The statement describes Mau’s diet as including dog food, milk, rice, roti, oats, ragi, dal, soya, paneer, and vegetables, alongside regular vaccination, veterinary visits, and grooming.
On the timeline of Mau’s death, Taneja’s statement says:
- Mau first showed signs of illness, a mild fever on July 20, 2026.
- He was taken to a local dog clinic in Parikshitgarh July 22.
- A veterinarian was called to the farm on July 23–24 to administer drip treatment.
- By July 25–26, with his condition not improving, a second veterinarian was consulted in Garhmukteshwar,
- but Mau died before he could be moved to a hospital in Delhi. The statement puts Mau’s age at approximately five years old.
On the question of dog-on-dog injuries — which Choudhary’s posts reportedly alleged happened “multiple times” — Taneja’s statement says there were only one or two supervised scuffles involving two Cane Corso dogs on the property, after which the dogs were kept separated.
The statement also addresses specific pieces of content Choudhary is said to have shared, including a video of Mau playing in water and a photograph of Mau sitting on Choudhary’s lap, which Taneja’s statement says were used to misleadingly suggest neglect or to position Choudhary as Mau’s primary caregiver.
Taneja’s Characterization of the Former Employee
Taneja’s statement goes on to describe Choudhary’s employment history, characterizing his performance as poor and alleging he was rude to colleagues. According to the statement, Choudhary was asked to resign rather than terminated, in order to protect his future employment prospects.
The statement disputes any suggestion that Choudhary was close to Mau, alleging instead that he refused to help care for the dog, was abusive toward farm staff, and on at least one occasion acted aggressively toward Mau himself, requiring staff to intervene. Taneja’s statement notes that Choudhary’s last day working at the farm was July 11, 2026 — nine days before Mau first fell ill — and argues this means Choudhary had no first-hand knowledge of the dog’s illness or death.
The statement further claims Choudhary never reached out to Taneja directly to raise concerns or ask questions, and instead went public with his allegations, which Taneja’s statement characterizes as a “media trial” motivated by resentment over being asked to resign.
What Remains Unverified
Several elements of this dispute are, at this stage, unconfirmed by any independent source:
- The exact cause of Mau’s death has not been confirmed by a published veterinary or post-mortem report.
- Choudhary’s original claims — their full content, context, and timing — have not been independently reviewed by this publication.
- The reported death threats against Taneja’s family have not been confirmed through a police complaint or other public record.
- Neither party’s characterization of the other’s conduct has been corroborated by a neutral witness.
Note on sourcing: This report is based on a written statement shared personally and exclusively with Pets News Network by Gaurav Taneja, following outreach by this publication to his team for comment on the allegations. Pets News Network has not received a comparable statement or interview from Pushpendra Gajaram Choudhary, and this piece will be updated if his response becomes available.
Why This Matters
Disputes like this one sit at the intersection of pet welfare and influencer culture, where claims move quickly on social media and can shape public opinion long before any facts are established. Public figures with large followings face amplified scrutiny over how animals in their care are treated, while former employees making serious allegations — true or not — can face reputational and legal risk of their own, including exposure to defamation claims if allegations are later found to be unsubstantiated. Equally, a public figure’s detailed rebuttal does not, on its own, settle the underlying welfare question.
Pets News Network is not taking a position on the truth of either party’s claims. We will follow this story and update it if independent confirmation — veterinary documentation, a police record, or a response from Choudhary — becomes available.
Pets News Network is a journalism platform covering the people, policy, and welfare issues shaping the lives of animals in India and beyond. Have a tip or a correction on this story? Write to us.
Sources
- Statement shared personally and exclusively with Pets News Network by Gaurav Taneja — “Public statement of Gaurav Taneja on the death of Mau” — following outreach by this publication to his team
- Characterization of Instagram posts attributed to Pushpendra Gajaram Choudhary, as described within Taneja’s statement (original posts not independently reviewed by Pets News Network)
