A gypsy jazz guitar, gift baskets and fine art were just some of the items up for auction at the homeless animal benefit. Perhaps the most eye-catching item on display: a miniature fainting couch, perfect for a pet with a propensity toward drama.

Animal Advocates, Inc., a non-profit dedicated to preventing animal overpopulation and providing low-cost pet healthcare, held its 19th annual silent auction on Nov. 20. A large crowd filled the back room in Hawthorne Country Club to peruse about 350 donated items up for auction.

Proceeds from the event help the organization spay, neuter, vaccinate and offer healthcare for homeless, abandoned animals and animals from low-income households.

Vivian Gela, director of Animal Advocates, said that, even though her offices are based in Dartmouth, her business is for people all around the region.

“There are a lot of people that are struggling, so we help them out with spaying and neutering,” said Gela.

Her organization is funded through fundraisers and grant writing and is staffed by two people and numerous volunteers. Animal Advocates operates a pet help hotline and a rescue foster care and adoption program.

In addition to helping pet owners find affordable healthcare for their animals, Gela’s organization tries to combat overpopulation.

“We do a lot of trap/neuter/return to free-roaming cats. We trap them in humane traps, get them spay/neutered/vaccinated, and then, if they’re feral, we return them back to their home, which is outside,” she said.

Gela said that southeastern Massachusetts has a high number of homeless pets, especially cats. She points to the financial crisis of 2008 as a high point in the overpopulation problem – a time where people were losing their jobs, dealing with foreclosure and were forced to give up their pets.

“It’s nothing for us to get 50, 60 calls a day,” said Gela. “A lot of those people have a friendly cat that appeared on their doorstep or in their yard. We want the cat rescued. That’s the goal. If it’s friendly, that means it’s adoptable, so we want them off the streets.”

To help with the high volume of feral cats, Gela said her organization works with other groups in the area.

Diane East, who’s on the board of the New Bedford-based animal advocacy group Habitat for Cats, said that oftentimes people will start feeding a stray cat and not know what to do when others begin to show up.

“They have all these animals they’re feeding, and they start reproducing. If they start feeding one or two cats, in a year or two they’ll have [more],” said East. “If you do start feeding, you need to be active in trying to get them fixed, or else you will have a huge problem.”

East said that feral cats often have a bad reputation, but – so long as they are fixed and have their shots – feral cats can live good lives.

As attendees of the auction were circling around the room eyeing what jewelry, art or gift certificates to place a bid on, Gela was busy meeting and greeting fellow animal lovers.

“All of us work together because we have a common goal. We want to help animals,” said Gela.

For more information on Animal Advocates, Inc., visit their website at animaladvocatesma.org or call 508-991-7727.