Saguaro

Yeah, it's sold, and that fact has nothing whatever to do with my post. I was looking for a pic with a Saguaro cactus in front of a home, and this one struck my fancy-

We took Desi on a 3 mile walk yesterday, and during the walk we passed several homes with yards similar to this one.

I've commented before about flying helicopters home from California... bein' amazed that within a couple miles of crossing the California/Arizona State line, you begin to see these magnificent Saguaro cactuses (cacti?). There are NONE on the California side of that line, yet the climate and soil have to be nearly exactly the same in that short distance. Why do I not see them West of the Colorado River?

During our conversation yesterday, Tame may have provided the answer to my question:
In Arizona, the Saguaros are protected by State law. That may not be true in California.

Development here in the Phoenix area is amazing. New homes and businesses are going up everywhere. Someone said yesterday
(I haven't researched this), that the physical size of the Metropolitan Phoenix area has quadrupled in the last ten years. Looking at all the construction going on in the area, I tend to believe the statement.

Having a beautiful, tall Saguaro in your front yard would be a "Desert" statement. Seems to me I read some time ago that landscapers were going out into the desert with all the necessary equipment to steal the stately cactuses, then charging a pretty good fee for transplanting them in the front yard of a new home. Now State laws provide a hefty fine if you do that on the Arizona side of the Colorado... maybe those on the West side of the river are still bein' stolen?
Anyone know for sure?