Park District officials want to find out who keeps locking the dogs out of an unofficial Chicago lakefront dog beach. For the second summer, someone has been chaining and locking the gate to the popular Belmont Avenue spot at night, depriving area pooches of a dip in the cool lake water. Padlocks were removed from gate five times last summer and another padlock and thick chain was wrapped around the entrance during the July 4th weekend, the Chicago Tribune said. Park district workers had to cut the lock and remove the chain each time a dog owner reported the gate on the four-foot fence was locked. The small sandy patch of Belmont Harbor is not officially a dog beach, but animals have been romping at the boat launch for years. The official dog beach is a few blocks north. The Park District has received no complaints from boat owners this year. DogFriendly.com this week ranked Chicago the best city for dogs in the United States and Canada. © Copyright 2005 by United Press International

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