West Virginia Dogman Sighting – The National Cryptid Society
📍 Location
Walnut Gap Road / Mount Union Road area near Lavalette, WV, Lavalette, West Virginia
Specific Location: Walnut Gap Road / Eighth Street area near Lavalette, Wayne County, West Virginia, USA
Coordinates: 38.43000, -82.35000
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38.4300°, -82.3500°
📝 Description
As of December 12, 2025, there have been no publicly reported updates or official investigations into NCS Case File #82: West Virginia Dogman Sighting beyond the original 2017 Lavalette encounter documented by The National Cryptid Society. The witness, Ronald, described an 8-foot tall, jet-black canine-like creature with a human-like torso and amber eyes, observed on a road near Lavalette, West Virginia on the evening of August 27, 2017, illuminated by headlights; the creature stood upright, appeared to watch the car, and there were reports of multiple eye-shine pairs in the darkness. The encounter reportedly lasted about 20 minutes or longer, and a handprint with claw marks was later observed on the car. No corroborating evidence or independent verification has emerged, and the case remains a reported cryptid sighting in WV.
🔍 Circumstances
Evening drive on August 27, 2017. The witness was on a road in or near Lavalette, WV (around Eighth Street/Mount Union Road with Walnut Gap Road nearby), driving at dusk or dark; headlights illuminated a large canine-like creature; it rose to two legs, approached the car, and then disappeared. The witness believed there were additional similar beings nearby, and later noticed a handprint with claw marks on the car the following day. The witness did not report the event to authorities; the account appears in a cryptid-focused case file.
👤 Physical Description
8 feet tall; 600–650 pounds; jet-black hair; long bushy tail; two amber-yellow eyes; bipedal with a muscular human-like torso from the waist up; dexterous hands with elongated fingers and long black claws; hind legs like a dog or wolf; wolf-like head with pointed ears.
ℹ️ Additional Details
The witness reported a handprint with claw-like marks on the car the morning after the encounter. The encounter involved eye contact; there were additional eye-shine sightings of at least five other pairs of eyes. The witness emphasized the event as a memory they will never forget and stated it contributed to exploring the wider 'Dogman' phenomenon; no police or paranormal organization was contacted.
🔗 Sources (1)
👥 Community Contributions
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Case Information
- Case ID
- cmj1wqeww001blb045fxmym1z
- Primary Source
- nationalcryptidsociety.org
- Article Date
- November 17, 2018
- Added to Map
- December 11, 2025
- Last Updated
- December 12, 2025