ABSTRACT
A sound financial footing is essential for a well-run animal care program, and it is important that program directors and managers have a working knowledge of program finances. Animal care programs are being forced to do more with less while operational expenses continue to climb or remain flat at best. Financial management comprises four processes: planning, budgeting, monitoring, and cost accounting. The planning process is the prequel to populating budgets with figures and is the opportunity for animal facility management to express their vision and plan for the future. Sensible budgets and financial plans cannot be put together without knowing the direction the organization will take in the future. Simply allocating money is not enough. Instead, proper and strategic use of resources is key to budgeting. Budget planning, development, and monitoring are the financial processes that guide the operation of the animal care program for a defined period of time.
