A breeders' association, the Associació pel Foment de la Raça Asinina Catalana, was formed in 1978 and the 1929 herd-book was re-opened.

[12] In 2020 the Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente, the Spanish ministry of agriculture, listed the breed as "in danger of extinction".

[3]: 22  With the mechanisation of agriculture in the twentieth century, demand for mules fell precipitously, and Catalan jacks were no longer needed for this purpose.

In the twenty-first century, possible uses for these donkeys include recreational tourism; use in vegetation management to clear underbrush in woodland, thus reducing the risk of fire; as a companion animal; and as an element of cultural heritage.

[9]: 438  Advocates of Catalan nationalism have adopted the donkey as a satirical response to the Toro de Osborne image widespread in other parts of Spain.