The CAAF program helps pet owners who can afford day to day care but may be burdened with a one-time extraordinary vet expense. This way the animal can stay in a loving home, rather than enter the sheltering system. The CAAF program is not for emergency medical care, but it is for instances when a pet needs a costly surgery or costly veterinary care and the pet owner needs assistance with this large expense. It can take time for CAAF to negotiate with veterinarians to bring down the cost of the care, and this is why it is not to be used when a pet needs an immediate, emergency surgery.