Pet Technology Review: Help keep pets safe with Leeo Smart Alert

October: Time to think about keeping your pets safe

It’s that time of year again…when pumpkin spice invades stores, food and cat litter (and no, sadly I’m not kidding about that last one.)

It’s also the month for National Fire Prevention Week,  a good time to make sure you have the right amount of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home, to replace the batteries in the ones you have, and to ensure you have an escape plan in case of emergencies.

And it’s National Animal Safety and Protection Month, a time to consider what you can do to help keep your dogs and cats safe, including having a pet first aid kit, making sure you have phone numbers for animal-related emergencies, and re-assessing where you may need to pet proof your house and yard.

This is why I was so excited when the folks at Leeo offered me the chance to test and review the Leeo Smart Alert. (Note: I was not paid for this review; I received a sample to test, and one to give away to one of my lucky readers. I only write about products that I would use or recommend.)

What if there’s a fire — and your pets are home, but you’re not?

As a pet parent, this is one of those nightmare scenarios that is so scary, you don’t even want to think about it. Sure, you put one of those cool stickers in the windows that say there’s a pet inside, and maybe you’ve got one that lists everyone’s name and species.

Lilah,Tucker and Jasper wait at the window.

Who watches over them when you’re not home?

But still. Will the firefighters have time to check? What about Bruno who always hides under the bed? Would they know to look for him? Or Brandy, who hates the sound of the smoke alarm and is probably cowering in the bathtub.

Introducing Leeo Smart Alert Nightlight, a smoke and carbon monoxide alarm detector

Leeo Smart Alert, which retails for $99.00, gives you peace of mind. An incredibly simple device, it plugs into any outlet, and continuously monitors your home for the sound of your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. If they go off, Leeo immediately calls and texts so that you can take quick action to protect your pets and your home.

Dawn looking out window flowers logo 100

Will anyone know where to look for Dawn?

Leeo is Smart, Sleek and Easy to Use

It looks just like a nightlight — a beautifully designed one, I might add. And it installs like one: just plug it in. That’s it.

Leeo Smart Alert Nightlight

The sleek design is unobtrusive and elegant — and it only monitors your alarms.

Download the free Leeo app, and go through the simple process of setting it up. The app walks you through the setup, which takes only a few minutes. It finds the device, and you enter your name, address, and cell phone number, as well as contact information of others you would want to notify in case of an emergency (such as all family members) and label Leeo’s location.

Setting up Leeo Smart Alert

Some of the easy setup screens. Leeo walks you through the process.

The user interface is intuitive, but if you need a little help, there are several short videos on the Leeo website.

Testing 1, 2, 3

We felt the best place for our Leeo was in our dining room, which is essentially in the center of our home, and where it could hear all our alarms.

In addition to our own smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, we also have detectors that are hooked up to a central alarm system and connected to an alarm company.

Before we tested the alarms, I ushered the dogs outside into our fenced-in backyard, which as far as they were concerned was a Great Idea. Jasper gets wigged out when he hears alarms, and I didn’t need to upset him unnecessarily. I figured the cats would either ignore the brief alarms or find their go-to hidey spots.

Cat hides behind canisters on top of cabinet

Calvin finds unique places to hide when he’s scared. I feel better now that I know I will be notified if there’s a fire or carbon monoxide emergency in my home: I can tell first responders where to find my pets.

Testing our own alarms was easy; It took less than a minute for the notice from Leeo to come through on my phone. When I didn’t respond, I got an automated phone call. It was very, very fast.

For the central system, I joined my pups in the  yard, and threw a few balls and Frisbees while my husband called the alarm company. He must have been on hold a Very Long Time, because after about 15 minutes, I heard our Very Loud central alarm go off. When it kept going after what I thought was a reasonable shut-off time, I ran around the front of the house (I wasn’t going inside; did I say it was Very Loud?) where I could see my husband through the dining room window, standing by the keypad and looking puzzled.

He opened the door.

“I can’t shut it off,” he yelled.

“Are you on the phone with them?” I screamed.

“Still on hold,” he shouted.

At this point, I entered the house, and reminded him how to shut the alarm off.  By then, customer service had finally answered.

And then I got a phone call from the alarm company on my cell phone asking about the fire we didn’t have.

We tried to cancel the fire department dispatch but…

Awhile later, after the friendly firemen left, and after the helpful customer service person put our central alarm in test mode, we successfully tested Leeo with our central system.

To be honest, I heard from Leeo faster than our alarm company.

 The user interface and design make my inner geek glow

I love reviewing pet technology, particularly when the toy or tool or app is well done. I admit it; I admire a company that sees to every detail, right down to the packaging. It’s one of the reasons I love Apple products. And Anker as well.

Leeo is right up there with them. They thought of everything.

Screen shots of Leeo Smart Alert

Leeo lets you know if the temperature or humidity is out of whack, based on parameters you set. (It’s a good way to know your AC or furnace stops working). When one of your alarms goes off, Leeo informs you very quickly with an alert. And one of my favorite features is the ability to change the colors and intensity of the night light.

Exhibit 1: The notice

The alert notification that comes from Leeo allows you to listen to the sound of the alarm, to confirm that it is, indeed going off. And you can call 911 with one touch. If you don’t respond to the text, Leeo will call you, and automatically play the sound the device heard. The automated system asks if you would like to be sent the phone number for the local fire department, which in our town is dispatched through the police. And they got it right, though I probably would have called 911.

Exhibit 2: The color and brightness adjustor

A very cool, and totally superfluous but just plain awesome feature of the Leeo Smart Alert nightlight is the ability to change the color and intensity of the light. I will not divulge how long I played with the color tuner part of the app. Let’s just say that the next time there’s a bored child (or adult) visiting my home, I will hand him the app and let her play. And maybe join her.

My adult son came walking into the dining room while I was playing with testing the colors to find just the right shade of aqua to match my dining room.

“That thing is so bright!” he said. “Is there any way to turn it down?”

I started to show him the app, and he began to rant. “I hate that, you know!” He flailed his arms for emphasis as he stomped across the room, his voice increasing in volume and intensity (though no match for the alarm). “What if you just wanted to dim it but didn’t have your phone with you? Then what? You’d have to go back upstairs and find the phone and turn it on, and find the app, and find the place on the app to adjust the brightness, when really, you should be able to adjust it right from the device itself. You should be able to walk over to it, and turn this ring for example.” He demonstrated. “And it should…” He stopped, dumbfounded. He had just dimmed the night light by turning the outer circle.

“See?” His rant made a 180 turn. “That’s how it should be done. That’s smart. I like that.”

I smiled and adjusted the color from my app.

For $99, the Leoo Smart Alert Nightlight and app is worth the peace of mind. A free one is even better. Enter to win one using the Rafflecopter tool below.

Enter for Your Chance to Win A Leeo Smart Alert

Leeo Smart Alert Nightlight Sweepstakes

Rules are available through Rafflecopter and also on our Rules Page

Congratulations to the winner: Sue Doute!

a Rafflecopter giveaway



64 Comments on "Pet Technology Review: Help keep pets safe with Leeo Smart Alert"

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  1. Text from Cat: No Thumbs : Life with Dogs and Cats | October 22, 2015
  1. Earl Lover says:

    Fab! Thanks for sharing!

  2. Deziz World says:

    Dat fing sounds pawsum. We wuld luv to win. We was wunnerin’ how long it was gunna take fur yous alarm company to respawnd. Weez hear they’re not weally worff da money yous pay. Glad yous got anuvver furm of peace of mind.

    Luv ya’

    Dezi and Lexi

    Oh and weez not seen any of dat punkin litter. Not sure how we feel ’bout dat one. MOL

  3. Robin says:

    This is a really cool device! It is scary thinking that something could happen at home while I’m not there. My Cinco is a hider too. I’m glad someone came up with this!

  4. I worry about the big earthquake that is supposedly hitting us at some point and about fires. I’d love something that would send alerts to my phone!

  5. Cindy Peterson says:

    I do worry about my furry best friend. He tends to hide and doesn’t come out. Having something let me know he is in danger when I am not home would give me peace of mind.

  6. Jill H says:

    yes, I do and I live in a rural location so this alarm app, is really cool.

  7. Emma says:

    Sophie is the only one who would hide around here, but Mom still worries if something should happen and she is not home. This sounds like a great device.

  8. easy rider says:

    it’s great, I would love it to have one… after we worked on our chimney :o)

  9. Wehaf says:

    I definitely worry about our dogs when we are out of the house because they can’t help themselves in an emergency.

  10. Meghan B says:

    I love my pets, want them to be safe

  11. Ellen Pilch says:

    That is a great idea. I try to have my Mom cat sit if we will be gone more than a half hour, but this would be fantastic.

  12. Sharon Gilbert says:

    Yes I worry about my pets when we are gone. This would put my mind at ease! Great giveaway!

  13. Sandy Weinstein says:

    i worry abt my 3 gals everytime i leave the house. worried abt fire, breakins, etc. i make sure everything is disconnected that i dont need. check everything, that they may get into, have signs on my doors for the firefighters, etc.

  14. Connie says:

    with seven cats and a room full of foster kittens I worry a bit too much. This would be awesome to have to have one more thing that I wouldn’t have to worry about

  15. Jodi says:

    Having lost one of my best friends to a fire many years ago, this is always weighing on my mind. I think this is a fabulous idea, I’m sharing it with my husband tonight!

  16. I am such a Jewish Mom I worry just leaving her for 10 minutes LOL so anything to ease my mind would make me happy 🙂

  17. Patricia Caradonna says:

    I do worry about my dog Josie when I am not home. I leave the dog with my elderly mother. This would definitely ease my mind.

  18. DJ says:

    I do worry about my fur babies. I think this is a great idea, especially since we have lots of thunderstorms.

  19. What a cool idea! The mom always worries about us when she’s not here. The Leeo would definitely give her peace of mind.

  20. Heather Manheim says:

    I always worry about our kitty cat when we are away from home. A Smart Alert Nightlight would totally ease our mind, since it would alert us to problems and allow us to dial 911 easily, and tell first responders where to find pets. I love that it detects carbon monoxide too.

    • I worry, too, which is why I think this is the coolest thing. Just one note: Leeo hears your detector; it doesn’t actually do the detecting. You need to have smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors set up and working in your home in order for the device to work.

  21. Shelbie Johnston says:

    I always worry about my pets in case of fire, they are my babies! This would give me some peace of mind

  22. suzanprincess says:

    I do worry about my three furkids when I’m gone, and this device I didn’t even know existed before your post would surely help alleviate that. Thanks!

  23. Ronda Terry says:

    This product sounds awesome. Now I don’t have to worry about my pets. I would love one of these.

  24. Heather Duquaine says:

    I will start my saying I am probably the biggest worrier on the planet. Today I bought two more fire alarms and another carbon monoxide alarm. I love my pets so much and this would give me so much peace of mind, it would definitely help me have more fun and not worry as much.

  25. Sonya Allstun says:

    I get VERY worried and yes this would make me feel MUCH better when I am away

  26. Mary W says:

    I love how technology helps make our lives easier and better.

  27. This is a super giveaway! We had a smoke detector function on our alarm but all three detectors broke and they’re 300 euros each to replace!

  28. Abbie says:

    I definitely worry, although they aren’t home alone often! I worry more about burglars for some reason, though. Maybe because I read a book once where the burglars poisoned/shot the dogs in the house. Anyway, having this would at least make my mind more at ease in the fire department!

  29. Gabrielly says:

    This is a great device! It is scary thinking that something could happen at home while I’m not there.

  30. james jenkins says:

    Great idea! Yes, I do worry about the fur people while I’m gone; this is a great way to prevent some of that worry!

  31. laurie murley says:

    yes I worry about my animals, they have a doggie door they can go out but I still worry about them

  32. Bridgett Wilbur says:

    I always worry about my pets when I am not home there like my kids and this would be great. ty

  33. Jennifer H. says:

    Yes and this would help!

  34. Megan C says:

    I always worry about my little girl when I am at work. She goes on all my vacations with me. I just cant leave her. This would ease my mind some.

  35. John H. says:

    Yes- I think this could come in handy!

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