PORT ANGELES — Veterinarian Meg Gordon was more than happy to kiss a pig for charity.
The pig wasn’t quite as happy.
The porcine selected to be smooched at this year’s Kiss the Pig fundraiser for 4-H was an 11-day-old piglet — so young it had yet to be named.
As Gordon was announced as the winner for raising $418.09 for the organization, the piglet squealed in noises that could have been mistaken for coming from a human baby.
Something else came from the piglet, too — which would have been caught by a diaper had it been a human baby.
Overall, the fundraiser among North Olympic Peninsula veterinarians netted $1,738.36, said Gayle Taylor, treasurer for the 4-H Leadership Council.
The event was all part of the final day of the four-day Clallam County Fair.
Although final attendance numbers weren’t in, Shari Ioffrida, fair manager, said her best guess was that the fair attracted about the same number of people as last year — just fewer than 30,000.
“We did have cooler weather this year, but I think that benefited us because last year it was almost too hot at times,” she said.
Leaving a sparkling pink lipstick mark on the top of the piglet’s soft head, Gordon completed the high-profile smooch task that earned the funds.
“I was happy to do this for 4-H,” Gordon said.
Although she wasn’t in 4-H herself, Gordon said she felt it was a worthwhile organization — and so did those at the Blue Mountain Animal Clinic where she works.
“They all got together and said they really wanted to see me kiss a pig, so it was really their efforts that got me here,” Gordon said.
Her pucker was timed so to avoid the pig’s oinking and attempts at biting — baby pigs frequently have sharper teeth than larger ones, Taylor said.
Gordon’s husband, Vince, said her peck was well done because “she’s been practicing on me all year.”
Gordon’s next closest competitor was veterinarian Carmen Czachor of Family Veterinary Clinic who raised $273.14.
Sandra Smith, the vet who has won four times, passed on the trophy — a plastic pig that oinks when its box is opened.
The money raised by the Kiss the Pig contest will help provide awards and scholarships to graduating seniors and help with costs of 4-H teen events.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.
