--- title: Microchips & ID Tags Before You Travel url: https://happypawskennels.com/guides/microchips-and-id-tags/ business: Happy Paws Kennels address: 6677 Midway Road, Dixon, CA 95620 phone: 707-678-6600 hours: drop-off and pick-up every day 7:30-11:30 AM and 2:00-5:00 PM type: Dog and cat boarding kennel on about 10 country acres; caring for pets in Dixon since 1971 rates: 2026 rates, effective for reservations made on or after Jan 1, 2026 (dogs from $52 a night, cats $35 a night) --- - [Home](https://happypawskennels.com/) - [Guides](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/) - Microchips & ID tags before you travel # Microchips & ID tags before you travel A microchip only works if it is registered with your current phone number, so look up the chip number and update the registry before you leave on a trip. Add an ID tag with a number you will answer while away. [Book a stay](https://happypawskennels.propetware.com/customerLogin)[Call 707-678-6600](tel:+17076786600) A chip with out-of-date contact details cannot bring a pet home. A five-minute check before any trip, and before any boarding stay, is worth doing. ## How to check a microchip in four steps Follow this order: - Find the chip number from your vet records or ask any vet to scan your pet. - Use the AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup (PetMicrochipLookup.org). It shows which registry holds the chip, not your details. - Contact that registry and confirm your name, phone, email and address. Add a second contact who is not traveling with you. - Check again each year. The AVMA and AAHA mark August 15 as Check the Chip Day. ## A chip is not a collar A microchip is a permanent backup, but nobody can read it without a scanner. A tag gives instant contact. Put your cell number on the tag, and consider adding the destination or a second number if you are traveling. Replace worn tags, because letters rub off. For a pet that slips a collar, the chip still works. The AVMA microchipping page explains what a chip is, how it is implanted and why registration matters as much as the implant. ## What the kennel asks for The Happy Paws boarding agreement asks for your contact details and for an emergency contact who is not traveling with you and who may decide and pick up on your behalf. Keep these current. If you change your number or email, update the agreement and the online account, and update the microchip registry as well so that every record agrees. ## Travel-day extras Take a recent photo of each pet, keep your vaccine records on your phone and put the kennel's number, 707-678-6600, in your contacts. Read the [pet evacuation plan](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/pet-emergency-plan/) for what to pack in a grab bag. If you travel often, a fresh photo every few months helps when a coat changes with the season, and a short written description of markings, weight and color is useful if a pet is ever reported missing. Keep the chip number somewhere you can find it in seconds, such as a note on your phone titled with your pet's name. ### Sources (checked October 19, 2026) - [AVMA, microchipping of animals](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/microchipping-animals) - [AVMA, Check the Chip Day](https://www.avma.org/check-chip-day) - [Happy Paws Kennels boarding agreement (PDF)](https://happypawskennels.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Happy-Paws-Boarding-Agreement.pdf) ### 2026 nightly rates - First Class kennel $72 - Business Class kennel $59 - Economy Class kennel $52 - Cat condo $35 All-inclusive: food, medications and walks. 2026 rates, effective for reservations made on or after Jan 1, 2026. [All 2026 rates](https://happypawskennels.com/rates/) ### Visit or call 6677 Midway Road, Dixon, CA 95620 [707-678-6600](tel:+17076786600) | Drop-off and pick-up, every day | 7:30 to 11:30 AM and 2:00 to 5:00 PM | | --- | --- | | Tours, every day (no appointment) | 9:00 to 11:00 AM and 2:00 to 4:00 PM | [Book a stay](https://happypawskennels.propetware.com/customerLogin) ### Related - [A pet evacuation plan for Solano & Yolo families](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/pet-emergency-plan/) - [Fireworks and dogs](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/fireworks-and-dogs/) - [Boarding agreement](https://happypawskennels.com/boarding-contract/) - [Who is my emergency contact for?](https://happypawskennels.com/questions/who-is-my-emergency-contact-for/) - [Dog boarding checklist](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/dog-boarding-checklist/) ## Read next - [A pet evacuation plan for Solano & Yolo families](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/pet-emergency-plan/) - [Which kennel class does my dog need?](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/choosing-a-kennel-class/) - [Should two dogs share a kennel?](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/two-dogs-one-kennel/) - [Pet insurance and boarding](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/pet-insurance-and-boarding/) - [How much does cat boarding cost?](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/cats/how-much-does-cat-boarding-cost/) - [How long can cats be left alone?](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/cats/how-long-can-cats-be-left-alone/) - [Leaving your cat for a week](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/cats/leaving-a-cat-for-a-week/) - [Cat boarding vs a cat sitter](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/cats/cat-boarding-vs-cat-sitter/) Answers ## Questions people ask Still have a question? Call [707-678-6600](tel:+17076786600) (every day 7:30-11:30 AM and 2-5 PM) or see the [boarding FAQ](https://happypawskennels.com/faq/). ### Does a microchip track my pet? No. A chip holds a number that a scanner reads. It does not give a location; it only works when someone scans the pet and the number is registered to you. ### Do I update the chip after I move? Yes. Contact the registry that holds the chip and update your address and phone. ### Does Happy Paws scan for chips? Please call 707-678-6600 with questions about your pet's chip and the boarding agreement.