An electronic device of the invention is configured to allow a user of a first device to request transmission of a message, obtain a location of a second device, and transmit the message to devices within a certain range of the second device. The first device may be carried by a person who wants to retrieve a missing person, animal, or object. The second device may be carried by the missing person or missing animal or attached to or incorporated into the missing object. The message may be transmitted by the first device, by the second device, and/or by an Internet server, for example.