Is Riverside County Animal Services being honest with the public—or just pulling on heartstrings?That’s the question at the center of growing outrage after county officials posted pleas on social media asking for public donations of dog food for their foster program. Critics aren’t buying it—not when the county is simultaneously spending $2.5 million on a consultant whose role remains unclear.”This is manipulation,” said Fred Roggin in a recent Roggin Report. “They’re asking you to donate kibble while spending millions elsewhere—and hoping you won’t notice.”According to critics, gophers like this have long existed beneath the surface of county operations. But recent scrutiny has brought them into the light. Despite repeated media requests, Riverside County has refused to make the new director of Animal Services available for an in-depth interview.Instead, public messaging has shifted to emotional appeals: the animals need food, and the public should donate. Meanwhile, county…..