** ...the dryer would NOT dry the clothes. Hardly any air was venting to the outside. We even bought a brand new dryer since we thought it was 25 yrs old that it may be the dryer. **
Newer dryers are even more sensitive to poor venting than older model were.
** It was a large nest inside the dryer vent. **
You might consider getting a 'rodent guard' vent cover for the exterior of the house. Sometimes animals get right into the dryer and can be surprised by the spinning blower fan (which is often sharp as knives) when the dryer starts up. It can create quite a mess.
Glad to hear you finally got it unplugged. Just make sure you clean it annually to keep it that way.