Dr. Kanaby is originally from a small town on Long Island, New York. Her love for animals began at a young age as her grandmother ran a boarding facility through her home and bred waterfowl and upland game hunting dogs. Dr. Kanaby completed her Bachelor of Science at Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Science where she majored in Animal Science. After undergrad she continued at Cornell University, graduating from the College of Veterinary Medicine in 2014. 

For several years Dr. Kanaby worked at a rural mixed animal practice in Allegany County, New York where her days were filled with a myriad of species; including cats, dogs, dairy cows, beef cows, horses, llamas, alpacas, sheep, and goats. Outside of work, Dr. Kanaby is an avid outdoorswoman. She regularly hikes and paddleboards along Buffalo's waterways. She is also an active member of the Buffalo ultimate frisbee community and plays on the city's club team, Lake Effect. She is also a board member of the local non-profit organization Nickel City Ultimate which helps provide youth and adult athletes with the opportunity to play. 

Dr. Kanaby's younger sister, also a veterinarian, graduated from Iowa State College of Veterinary Medicine in 2017 and is practicing emergency medicine outside Los Angeles, California. Together with her husband Mike, she has two black Labradors, Nellie and Rhaegar, and two cats, Jonathan and Arya. In 2021, they welcomed their first human baby, Otis.