Yesterday’s Riverside Board of Supervisors meeting marked a pivotal moment: the discussion of the resolution to make our county animal shelters no-kill. On its surface, it sounds like a win—more funding, new hires, a qualified director, and even a $2.5 million consultant. But this sudden enlightenment? It wasn’t born out of vision. It was dragged into existence by public pressure, lawsuits, and relentless advocacy.Let’s be clear. This change didn’t happen because leadership saw the light—it happened because they were forced to. For months, they denied there was even a problem. They dismissed the data, attacked the messengers, and praised failed leadership. Only when the spotlight got too hot, when public outrage swelled, and when legal action loomed, did they budge.And now, rather than owning the failure, there’s deflection. The narrative has become: “Don’t criticize unless you’re volunteering.” That’s not accountability. That’s blame-shifting.People like Mary Strong and Mr……