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TikToker Christopher Michael Gifford has been hit with 40 misdemeanor charges. Thirty-six of them are for keeping venomous snakes without locks, three for mislabeling the containers holding the snakes, and one for failing to report an escaped viper as required by the law.
North Carolina is one of six states in the US that permit keeping venomous snakes as pets but under stringent rules. Gifford failed to follow them and is now facing charges.
On June 29th, the police reported to a resident on Sandringham Drive where the residents spotted a zebra cobra outside their home. The search for the deadly snake had left the neighborhood locked at home in fear.
A misdemeanor filed against Christopher Michael Gifford stated that the zebra cobra had been loose since November, but the Tik Toker failed to notify police when it escaped.
Who is Christopher Michael Gifford?
The 21-year-old became popular on the video-sharing platform after posting about his love for reptiles. He has accumulated over 464,000 followers under his profile @the_griff.
Christopher Michael Gifford lives with his parents in North Carolina and has an extensive collection of vipers, cobras, and several dangerous snakes in his basement.
In March 2021, Christopher Michael Gifford was bitten by a Green Mamba, a highly poisonous snake native to southern East Africa's coastal regions.
It was widely reported in North Carolina at that time that someone from the state was being treated with anti-venom after being hospitalized for a deadly snake bite. Gifford was not initially named.
He later took to Facebook to explain that it was a normal day, and he went down to his basement to clean the mamba cages, but the snake accidentally got wrapped around the door and ended up biting him.
He was then rushed to the hospital. A zoo located 400 miles away in South Carolina had to rush ten vials of anti-venom to the hospital immediately as Gifford’s chances of survival were meager.
Christopher Michael Gifford’s lawyer spoke about the matter:
“Clearly, he’s stressed. He hasn’t faced any charges like this before. Although they are minor in nature, it’s clearly stressful on his family.”
The internet star is scheduled to appear in court on August 6th.
