Geld your Jack, please

Jacks are the stallions of the donkey world.  If you are not intending to breed then we encourage you to geld your jack.  We strongly discourage having jacks as pets.

All jacks can be dangerous.  Jacks can be loving and affectionate by nature, but a jack has impulses that he cannot control and can react in an unpredictable and dangerous manner.

As jacks mature their behaviour can become more aggressive and unpredictable as their natural instincts to protect themselves and their “herd” become more evident. Jacks have been known to attack small animals or turn on their handler without warning if they perceive a threat, imagined or not, to themselves or their companions.

It is the Trust’s policy is that all jacks that are rescued will be gelded.  This means that the animal is less likely to harm anyone or any other animal and he can have the close companionship that all donkeys love.

The earlier the jack is gelded, the less traumatic it is on the animal and the more likely he will not continue to exhibit learned jack behaviour.  However gelding a jack later in life is usually very successful provided due care is taken.

The Trust frequently gets requests for a donkey to be rehomed to live with an entire jack.  Our policy is that we do not place any donkey in a home where there is a jack.  If you have a jack that needs a buddy, please get him gelded and then we will consider placing a suitable donkey with you.