AN ACR B727 LOSES SOME OF ITS PRESSURIZATION AND AIR CONDITIONING CAPABILITY AND HAS TO DSND TO MAINTAIN A LOWER CABIN ALT AND WARMER TEMP FOR BOTH THE PAX IN THE CABIN AND A DOG IN THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT.

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PASSING FL260 WE DISCOVERED A PRESSURIZATION PROB THAT COULD ONLY BE CTLED BY DSNDING TO FL250 AND ACCOMPLISHING THE RAPID DEPRESSURIZATION CHKLIST. WE WERE ABLE TO ARREST THE CABIN PRESSURE AT 9000 FT. AFTER COMPUTING NEW FUEL OVER DEST WITH THE INCREASED FUEL BURN AT FL250; WE DECIDED TO DIVERT TO RDU. WITH A LIVE ANIMAL IN THE FORWARD CARGO HOLD AND THE CARGO HEAT OUTFLOW SWITCH CLOSED; WE HAD TO DSND TO A MORE HABITABLE ALT FOR THE DOG. THIS WAS DUE TO THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMP BEING A -37 DEGS F. A FURTHER DSCNT WAS REQUIRED TO ENSURE THE ANIMAL'S SURVIVAL. WE WERE OUTSIDE THE 50 NM OPS SPEC MINIMUM ALT OF FL250 FOR OVERWATER OPS AND DSNDED TO 11000 FT TO GET TO A WARMER TEMP. WE LEVELED OFF AT 11000 FT APPROX 50 NM OFFSHORE. I DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER BECAUSE WE WERE IN CONTACT WITH ZJX THE ENTIRE TIME AND HAD COORDINATED THE ENTIRE DSCNT WITH THEM. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 426802: WE DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER; BUT LATER REALIZED WE SHOULD HAVE. WE STARTED A GRADUAL DSCNT TO 11000 FT APPROX 50 NM OFFSHORE. WE WERE IN CONTACT WITH JAX ENTIRE TIME.