[4]: 170  It is one of the eight autochthonous donkey breeds of limited distribution recognised by the Ministero dell'Agricoltura, della Sovranità Alimentare e delle Foreste, the Italian ministry of agriculture and forestry.

The Romagnolo is a traditional breed of the historic region of Romagna, now the south-eastern part of Emilia-Romagna.

In the early twentieth century it was considered one of several regional sub-breeds of the Pugliese, others being the Basilicata, the Calabrese, the Marchigiano and the Martina Franca or Leccese.

[6]: 5 The Romagnolo was traditionally used for draught work or as a pack animal,[7]: 43  particularly to bring cut firewood down from the mountains.

[6]: 6  Shepherds used them to carry young lambs when moving their flocks in the bi-annual transhumance between the summer mountain pastures and the valley land where they spent the winter.