I would also suggest calling your local wildlife agency but don’t call what you’ve seen any sort of ‘monster’ name if you want to be taken seriously. You didn’t see a Chupacabra, you saw a ‘canine looking, but a bit odd’ animal. Again, give as many details as possible, after all is IS possible what you actually saw was an animal with mange (canine and coons being high on the list). Something like Bigfoot would probably be harder to mis-identify due to the size but considering something like the Chupacabra ranges from an odd-looking canine to a bipedal reptile-like animal with spikes, that one is a bit of a grey area.

I would also suggest staying as calm as possible when reporting your sighting. If you sound crazy or incoherent ‘most’ officials will either think you’re a few cards short of a full deck or that you’ve been consuming something you shouldn’t have. Personally I would suggest writing it down immediately, include things like time, locations, weather, any sounds you heard or did not hear (did the forest suddenly go quiet, did birds give alarm cries), what drew your attention to the animal (snapping twig, grunting noise, trashcans being overturned) little details like that really can go a long way in convincing others that you actually saw something. While a general “I saw it and it was huge and hairy and smelled like a wet dog” isn’t going to help as much.

And – if one can find one – contribute anonymously to a database compiling encounter reports.

For the sasquatch, there are texasbigfoot.com (which takes reports from anywhere) and bfro.net. Either one is good; together their databases are linchpins of the evidence. For Virginia, Bill Dranginis’s database also appears a good one.

For other cryptids, you are on your own. Don’t worry, though. With the advent of the internet, it’s become much easier to find places to submit. (For example, if you claim a sighting of Nessie or Champ, you should have no problem finding lodging for that one.)

Do the world a favor and don’t submit a fake report. Trust me, it will be among the 85-90% that won’t be followed up. Don’t waste people’s time. Particularly yours.

Do yourself a favor and limit your disclosure to the above. If you know of one or more friends who are sympathetic through previous testing on the subject, tell them if you must tell someone you know. (Never presume a friendship not so tested is a safe harbor.) Leave police, military, news media and animal control out of it. And for Godsake don’t tell anyone at work.