Wording

As with anything, there's good and bad wording.  There can be a way to make something sound more attractive and a way to make it sound less attractive.  For example.  I can write:

this chin has quite the personality and is talkative when you go to pick her up

...or I can write...

this chin has attitude for days and barks when you try to handle her.

Now... which do you think makes the chin more likely to get adopted?  Hopefully you said the first one, and you would be right.  

Thing is... wording affects how I view adopters as well.  For example.  I have an email today that has the subject as one of the chinchillas that's here, and the email says: are you still looking to get rid of your chinchilla if so....[and so on]

This communicates several things to me.  Can potentially be several different things, actually.  First, makes me wonder if these people actually read the ads, because I, personally, would never word something like that to a rescue (well, to anyone, actually).  But it doesn't make me think they know this is a rescue, which means they may not have read.  Second, this starts me off with a bad taste in my mouth, because even if I want to give them the benefit of the doubt and think they're just wording it badly, I don't want to "get rid" of anything, except maybe literal garbage that needs to be put on the curb.  I emailed back and I actually said something to the effect of, I wouldn't quite say I'm looking to get rid of her, that's not the wording I'd choose, she is up for adoption.  Which is the case.  Semantics?  Maybe.  But keep in mind, I'm the one that chooses if people adopt or not, so if people right off the bat don't give off a positive vibe, that doesn't help them.

And don't get me wrong, I do understand getting emails asking if the chin is still available.  I do my best to keep the website and other sites updated as to what chins are available.  Sometimes I fall behind, I'm human.  So I get not wanting to necessarily tell me your life story and how much you're dying for a chin, only to find out that the chin you wanted has already found a home and I just haven't taken the ad down yet.  But that said... there's still nicer ways to put it.  For example, "hey, I'm interested in your chin, the ____________ one, and I was wondering if she's still available?"  I dunno, but for me -- "get rid of" -- when talking about a living, breathing pet, just doesn't quite sit right.

Just saying.